


The Child and The Bone

by Muudercai



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Absolutely nothing!, Bara Sans (Undertale), Child Abuse, Death, F/F, F/M, Female Frisk, Frisk (Undertale) Is a Sweetheart, Frisk is also a brat, From Nine to Nineteen, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Maybe Twenty, Overprotective Sans (Undertale), Papyrus is a precious cinnamon bun dropping wisdom, Politics, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Say it again y'all, Skelebro Sans, War huh yeah, What is it good for?, excessive puns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:48:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 131,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21692527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Muudercai/pseuds/Muudercai
Summary: After being forced into her role Frisk found herself locked into to what it truly meant to be a ambassador. She didn't want this. If only for a brief second she found herself wishing for Chara just to have a reason to restart it all. In the end, she had no one to blame but herself however. After all, despite his hatred for them and his usual unwillingness to agree to them, Sans always kept his promises.He promised her he would be happy. Upon the realization that this child was suffering in silence just as much or perhaps more than him from the events of the underground, he held firm. He would make sure they kept their happy ending as time moved forward and he would make sure she was alive to see it. That was the funny thing about hope; when you had it, it was easy to raise hell to keep it.
Relationships: Alphys/Undyne (Undertale), Asgore Dreemurr/Toriel, Frisk/Sans (Undertale), Mettaton/Papyrus (Undertale)
Comments: 58
Kudos: 148





	1. Dog Days Are Over

**Author's Note:**

> I'm rewriting this here cause it needs love and FF.Net sucks.
> 
> Woo.
> 
> Is this perfect? Of course not! I'm always opened to feedback!  
> Frisk starts at age 9 here I am pretty sure I will age her up throughout. Just something to keep in mind.

She sat on the cliff watching the sunset as her hair continuously obstructed her view due to the wind. It was a sight she wanted to cherish, a sight she hadn't seen in a very long time. Reset after rest allowed her to live through multiple lives. Multiple deaths... And yet in each one she always found herself forgetting this feeling. The feeling of the sun setting down past the horizon and the chill that came slowly but surely as it took the warmth with it. As she lingered on the feeling, she couldn't help but to snicker at herself. She sounded so old... It was to be expected however. She had literally lived a life time or at least that's what it felt like time after time again.

The child was only nine years old and here she was overcoming a obstacle most would have abandoned a long time ago. Most children her age rested against their mothers during the night as they settled in to sleep listening to them speak of the day that awaited them when they awakened. But that wasn't her. No, thoughts of sleep only came when she was forced to yield and rest. When she wasn't attempting to pacify the monsters who sought out her soul. When she wasn't attempting the push back the demon that forced her to strike down her loved ones with a merciless force.

That was neither here nor there however, she had finally made it through with all the lose ends fixed up into a neat bow. Chara was gone. Flowey was finally free from the underground slowly but surely changing his ways. No longer did she break the barrier and look back with a sense of uneasiness that she had failed in some way. Yet still her work wasn't over. As usual, when they emerged she looked up at Asgore and accepted his proposal to become the ambassador for monsters. When Toriel came she smiled, thoughts guilt filled, as she promised to live with the woman in a attempt to ease her. In the end living with the monster would only make the bitter end worse on her. But her resolved to do what she thought was best was solid. Still, Frisk didn't merely take off.

Over the first year, she worked hard as a link between the humans and monsters to establish some peace between the two races. She did her best to get the other monsters involved for they would need every ounce of experience she could give them. It would be hard on them. She knew this. That's majorly where her guilt stemmed from but they would be fine. They would all be alright because after everything it was finally time. Finally, the pain of repeating the same mistakes was over. Her heart broke as she wished she could have said goodbye properly but she knew that if she even uttered a sentence of what she had planned she would be placed under watch in their fear of losing her.

So she merely watched on as the events as she knew them repeated.

She took every day up until now with a open heart and when issues arose that she was unfamiliar with, her hope soared with the possibilities it meant for her monsters. This was how it should be. Frisk could honestly say that she had experienced the best time of her life in that first year. Seeing everyone happy, enjoying changes she had no part of and seeing him smile. Seeing him realize that they had never gotten that far before. He hadn't believed her at first, no, not one bit. But it was easier to prove it to him the more time flowed onward. She pressed her hands to her chest. Her biggest regret would be not apologizing to him once more. It wasn't necessary, she had apologized for her mistakes many times before but this time it would be with a true resolution behind it. She just wanted him to know. Lifting her head up, she blinked in shock before laughing besides herself. The world always had a way of doing what she wanted in the way worst way possible. So what could she do but laugh when she realized it had granted her silent wish to see him? When it had placed him right behind her.

"You can't use that teleportation trick on me," She stated softly as she looked over her shoulder. "I'm too used to it." Her voice was quiet. Over the past year she had forced herself to speak verbally, properly, but she still had her occasional slips where she would revert back to signing. The sound of his grin widening was almost deafening and her own grew at the sight.

"I don't know what you mean." His lazy drawl didn't hide his intent but she would continue to skirt around it for as long as he would.  
"Sure you don't, Sans." She stated nothing more as she looked out over the forest waiting for him to speak first.  
"So we made it huh? One whole year above ground." She nodded. "Will it stay this time?" For the longest time she remained silent before closing her eyes. It was time.

"Chara isn't in me anymore. She has been gone for as long as we have been free." He narrowed his eyes at the revelation but Frisk didn't give a inch.  
"Is she out and about?" Frisk shook her head.  
"It doesn't work like that. She needed my body to move; she was just a spirit after all. Every reset I worked to end her the best way I knew how..." Grinning she cocked her head triumphantly and at her words Sans couldn't help the slight pride that grew within. "With mercy."For a bit he merely stared at her before slouching slightly.

"I remember a time where getting you to speak one word was a victory in itself. Now look at 'cha. Soon you'll be as loud as Papyrus." She made a face at him. "It's a good thing you know sign language for those quiet moments. It's pretty handy." He wasn't sure if he had succeeded in lightening the mood as Frisk reached over, grabbed his hood and pulled it over his face. But the soft giggle told him he had.  
"Really, Sans?" Pulling the hood from over his head he smirked. "What no more questions, mister Judge?" A snort left him and the skeleton moved to sit besides her on the cliff.  
"You know that would be too easy, kid. Besides I always like to enjoy this moment so take the small victories." Frisk said nothing more for a second and instead closed her eyes.

"It's a big victory, Sans." She whispered after some time. "No more resets." The skeleton looked over at her and averted his eyes soon after.  
"Can't promise that kid." Opening her eyes she smiled as she felt a pool of determination flow within her.  
"...I can." Standing up, she stretched and allowed happy yet forlorn look to over come her. "Flowey is the last one who should be able to use the power of reset. I don't need it any more, Sans. I got the best ending. I don't need to do this anymore. Chara is gone. Flowey is changing... Everyone is free and I did what I needed to in order to make sure you all would be alright. I have no reason to reset any further. My place in this story is over." As she looked at the sun she cherished the last moments she would have to feel its rays upon her skin while she continued on. "...There is no other reason to be here." The skeleton quickly became on edge with her last words. The determination she felt radiated off of her surrounded him and he knew what ever she was up too would be no good.  
  
"What are you talking about, kid?"  
"You need to be ambassador when I'm gone, Sans. Despite everything I know there is no one more perfect for the job. You have something to hold on to now and finally it will mean more than just living til the next reset. Don't waste what you have learned from following me into those meetings with the other politicians." Grinning from ear to ear she emphasized each word as she took one step back. "Don't mess it up. I'll be watching." She took another step back and that's when he knew. She was going to just... Without even telling anyone? She...- Without hesitation, he snatched her arm and pulled her into his embrace.  
"Don't you dare. **Don't you dare.** "

He tightened his grip upon her before looking down fiercely. There was a distinct anger that came across his face but she had expected that. She knew he would be angry at her for doing such a thing even if he had found out with everyone else. But besides the visible anger, the panic and hurt he felt at the thought of possibly losing her was just as clear.

"So this is what you think will solve everything, kid? Killing yourself and canceling out the reset? Time will move but at what cost? You can't throw your life away and think everything will be okay in the end. It won't. We won't." He wouldn't. Sans wouldn't pretend that the world would be a easy place to live in ever with the knowledge that a child could take everything away in the blink of a whim. But he wouldn't pretend the world would be a better place with the child buried six feet under either. Pulling back a bit, Frisk wiggled out of his hold and spoke.

"If I remain alive there is always that risk Sans." He gave a worn smile.  
"Then I guess it's good you can't spell Frisk with out risk..." But his joke fell short and she shook her head.  
"It's not a risk I'm willing to take." His smile tightened and he spoke softer this time.  
"If you die we will crumble." She smiled.  
"No you won't. I have faith in you."

"In me or the others?" Her smile grew and she spoke confidently.  
"In you." What he did to earn such faith from the child he would never know. "You're putting a lot of faith in one person kid." But she wasn't going to be dissuaded.  
"You understand where they can't, Sans. Despite everything I did, you were still there for me. You can try not to care all you want Sans, but I know you do." Placing one hand over her heart, she continued to speak although her words were slower.

"I'm tired. I can't do everything, Sans. And I know you all will need someone stronger than me. I don't think I can do anything more than what I've already done..." There were many of times that the group had taken her deeds for granted. Frisk was their savior, their ambassador and their friend. She would step up with Asgore stepped down and she would be the next in line.

But she was also a child.

A thin, scrawny child with scars and scratches.

A nine year old who kept her tears and fears on the inside because she believed her role dictated it.

A little girl who just barely came past his elbow...

Frisk was a child; a child who was old in spirit (for the lessons learned in the multiple resets sought to that) but a child none the less. And he wasn't about to let this little girl suffer any more than she had already. Not alone and not anymore.

"For someone so selfless... Your incredibly selfish... You know that?" Her eyes locked on to his, clearly confused. "How do you know what will make us happy? Who are you to say that a world with out you is what we want? We want you, Frisk. We want you in our world. One with out you ain't worth treading, kid." He placed a hand on top of her head and she realized he was trembling.

"Sans..." He shook his head and leered down at her.   
"This world won't mean a thing if ya not there to guide us, kid. You're the hope of Asgore and Toriel. You're the reason Undyne is willing to be friends with humans, why Alphys has the courage to stand proud. You're the reason why Papyrus has the group he always wanted..." She was the reason why the flicker of hope that was one extinguished, began to thrive once more within him. “You're so small but through everything we've completely forgotten that you are still a kid. A kid who has to learn its okay to rely on those near you. You don't have to bear this on your own, Frisk." Pulling back he smiled.

"So stop trying to be the hero, and let's go home." Frisk looked at him astounded before frowning and moving forward. Placing her arms around him, she hugged him tightly and pressed her face into his chest. For a second he sighed in relief. For just a moment, he believed he was safe from the fate she sought to bring upon herself. That moment, however, was quickly shattered. In a instant, the little girl shoved him back with force making sure he was away from her. Shocked by the violent action, he began to question her only to stop as she spoke up once more.

"You lived in fear of resets... You can say what ever you want but I know, Sans... I know you will never be able to rest as long as I live." She took a step back and smiled sadly. "I want you to be happy."  
"Frisk..."  
"Even if it means I'm not there... Promise me something, Sans?" He took a cautious step towards her, looking for anyway to intercept her before her foot reached the edge, and smiled warily.

"You know... I hate making promises, kid..." But she didn't respond to his remark knowing she had his full attention. The smile upon her face was true and for the first time in what seemed to be years the smile that graced her face came from pure unhinged joy.

"Be happy."

It was always strange to realize that a person you believed was fine and well was suffering the same weight that you felt. The smile upon the child's face allowed Sans to see just how the resets took their own toll upon her and, if he could, he would have kicked himself for missing what was now so obvious. The smile she wore was relaxed, it was filled with happiness and most of all relief. The same relief he felt time after time again when he would die against her knowing it would just end in a reset. Knowing those who had perished would be right back. It was a relief he never thought another would be able to understand but as he missed her final step and watched her fall back freely he realized no one could understand that relief more than Frisk. As she fell, Frisk maintained her smile taking in every sensation. And yet each one was not what she expected.

She could hear the panicked steps rushing towards her.

She could feel the wind in her hand as his barely caught hers.

She could feel the sharpness of the air around her as she plummeted head first.

But as she lost consciousness, she didn't feel the boney hands that caught her nor the arms attached that held her. She didn't feel the warmth of the blue magic that surrounded them. He was quick to take hold and place them back upon the cliff, although he made sure they were a good bit away from the edge. His nonexistent heart froze and broke all at once at the sight of the child throwing herself over the edge and when he finally registered she was alright within his arms, he pulled her close. The unconscious child lulled her head towards his chest and he looked down at her with the realization that in this line the fear of a reset wasn't the biggest lost they all could face. All this to make them happy. All this to make sure they kept the freedom they finally achieved. Remembering her words, the skeleton held her a little bit closer. Be happy...

"I will...kid." Shifting her in his arms, he removed his hoodie and wrapped it around her. After making sure she was settled, he tucked her head under his and held her close. He would be happy...but not alone. Turning from the cliff, he moved to walk towards the direction of their home.

"We both will."  
  



	2. Shake It Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished this quicker than I thought I would.
> 
> Merry xmas.

There was a emptiness that filled him as he rode next to his brother in the car. To be fair, it was a emptiness that filled not only himself but the others as well. It was a hard thing to avoid but they did their best to avoid the mistakes that had lead them to that point. Well, at least the others did. There was nothing that could have made him regret his decision upon bringing the child home from her failed suicide attempt. No, the only thing he regretted was not easing the others into it as elegantly as he could have. Perhaps it would have stopped things from ending as they did. His goal was to make sure the child knew she was loved, force her to see that she wasn't alone... Instead she found herself brought to tears and drowning in another kind of guilt and hurt he didn't believe the others would throw upon her. Now they reaped what they sowed and although his intentions were well he too found himself on the end of the fallout.

"Sans are you paying attention?!" Lazy eyes opened from the back of the car and the skeleton looked towards Undyne.  
"No." The fish woman growled while Alphys did her best to soothe her growing ire. That, however, didn't stop Papyrus' own.

"THIS IS SERIOUS SANS! WE NEED TO THINK OF WAYS TO APPEASE THE HUMAN!" Sighing, Sans leaned further back against the seat.  
"I would think that we all would have learnt already that when Frisk sets her mind to something there is little to nothing we can do to break her out of that state." The other three exchanged looks.  
"THAT MAY BE TRUE... HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN SO LONG SANS. WE ARE WORRIED. FRISK HAS CLOSED HERSELF OFF EVEN TO TORIEL." Sans couldn't help the mirth filled scoff that left him. Turning his eyes to Undyne pointedly, the skeleton responded in kind.  
"Then perhaps some of us should have remembered that a child deserves to be comforted in such situations and not treated like a enemy of the state. Isn't that right, Undyne?" Her anger rose but it quickly fell into abashed guilt and shame. Alphys turned from her wife to the skeleton fidgeting.

"S-Sans thats n-not fair!" Closing his eyes, Sans leaned his head against the door and shrugged.  
"Wake me up when we get there." He knew very well that despite the other's attempts to make it seem like this was a normal get together this was a call to action in order to get into the good graces of the child who had ostracized herself from them all.

Frisk hadn't spoken to him in six months.

But it wasn't just him; she hadn't spoken to anyone in six months. When she had awoke from her preemptive suicide she realized three things. She was alive, Sans had told the others everything (and she meant **everything** ) and she was under house arrest until Toriel stated otherwise. She had tried at first to reason, get angry and even blame them but that wasn't her way. By the end of the first month she stopped speaking all together. All the pleading, scolding and bribing from her parents was useless and by the end of the second month she barely responded to them past a head gesture. And it killed him.

After rescuing her from her almost self-inflicted fate, Sans realized two things.

One, Frisk had planned this a long time ago. Killing oneself wasn't something that you could do at such a young age without time to process everything even if you didn't understand everything. It took time to go through the stages of grief, time to accept and find peace. And time was something Frisk had; every single reset was a moment to come to terms with her decision.

The second thing he realized quickly was that if Frisk had come to peace with this then she wasn't about to give up. Oh no, the little girl who ran on determination would try again and again until she took her own life and made sure she could never be brought back. And Sans wasn't sure he could always be there to stop her. Hell, he couldn't always be there to stop her when she killed Papyrus or when Chara possessed her… For a moment he had no idea what to do but it had dawned on him quickly that he could not do this alone… Not this time.

He didn't tell the others to spite her nor did he tell them because he wanted her in trouble. She was so determined to end her life that night and it scared him. Despite his ability to teleport he couldn't always be there to watch her. Yet she had to be and he needed to know that someone else could be by her when he couldn't. He needed to know that she was protected, that she would have someone to show her that she was loved. But telling them meant telling them everything. Absolutely, everything and more importantly… It meant telling Papyrus everything he had worked so hard to hide from him… It was something that made him stop in his tracks right outside the house back then. For a moment he found himself looking down at the little girl as he hesitated to continue. He ran over every scenario, every possible outcome but in the end he knew he had little choice. Either way, Papyrus would be alive but Frisk? He wasn't sure.

In the end, he bit the bullet and after putting the girl in her room, he did the deed. First he brought Papyrus aside and explained the situation to his brother the best he could. It was harder than he thought it would be but every single time he believed Papyrus would shun him—especially when he spoke of the genocide episodes—his brother just comforted him. Just told him he understood it was hard and that he would be there for him. Leave it to Papyrus to be there for him, to love him unconditionally… Looking back on it he wished he only told him, because it wasn't nearly as disastrous as telling the others.

Sans adored Toriel, really he did. She was one of his closest friends but honestly her ways of parenting were questionable at best. Parents didn't claim to love their children then try to burn them to a crisp to see if they could fend for themselves. And parents definitely didn't react to the news that their child tried to commit suicide by waiting until they woke up and unloading their emotional turmoil on to them. She questioned how the child could think about such a thing, how she could even be so selfish as to think that they would want her dead. She asked Frisk if she understood the pain she had from losing so many children already and asked her why she would want her to mourn another.

In her grief and rage, she question if the child was mentally sound and if she understood exactly what she was doing. What she had done... Sans didn't tell Toriel so that the woman could scold the child about her powers. He didn't tell her so that she could tear down the child further. He told her so that she could play her part as her mother and comfort the child so that she would feel love. Oh eventually, once Frisk was bawling her eyes out, the woman attempted to play the part he had wished her too. But by that time they both knew it was too little too late, especially when Frisk turned to him instead of her. Even though he had told them everything and opened the door to this verbal assault she still turned to him. It wasn't a surprise however, not when she wasn't the only one ragging on the child for her past actions.

Undyne's reaction wasn't a complete surprise. The fish woman didn't know how to deal with anything emotional in way other way than throwing spears at it so her screeching, while unwarranted, was something he took responsibility for. He should have known better than to allow her and Toriel in the same room and it seemed that Asgore agreed as he helped him separate the two in order to leave the crying child in peace. He should have stopped them before they went to her that morning, but the damage was done and honestly, he didn't believe at the time it would pan out that way. It was hard to believe that they would respond in kind—he didn't want the kid to get scolded and spoken to as if she was insane for her thoughts. (Even though he wasn't happy with them.)

She was just doing what she thought was right. What she thought would protect them all. Having her mother and 'bestie' speak to her as if she was merely a foolish selfish child… Well, he could see the hurt grow in her heart as they spoke. It wasn't until tears pricked at the normally strong child's eyes that they realized they were going too far but by the time they realized their error and attempted to make up for it the kid just shut down.

Frisk had tired herself out in his arms from her own tears. He didn't say anything to her, for he wasn't sorry he told them and he was sure there was very little he could say that would make what the two women said right. He settled instead for merely holding her and allowing her to fall asleep against him. Once she was completely out, he placed her down in her bed and he moved out of his usual apathetic state to confront the two women.

It was rare for him to show anger but this time he wasn’t going to allow them to get off with their actions scott free. The women couldn't even look him in his face as he spoke.  
 _"She is indeed a child, Toriel, that's why she needed your love not a scolding. But instead you let her down and this isn’t the first time your selfishness and stubbornness has caused more harm than good."_ He recounted.  
 _"You're inability to do anything but throw spears and scream at things is exactly why others refuse to engage with you, Undyne. How does it feel to know you made a child feel less than dirt?"_ He scowled.

Despite Papyrus' wishes, Sans didn't hesitate to cut the two women down with his own words. But it wasn't just his frustrations at them that broke through, but his frustrations at himself for not protecting the vulnerable state the child was already in. He did his best afterwards to make the child feel better when she woke up the next morning but once she truly realized he was responsible for it all he was pushed away. Now, he too, found himself on the opposite side of her wrath and he deserved it.

At least the others received so much of a head gesture though. Sans was lucky if the kid even looked at him and even if she did look at him, it wasn't as if it was pleasant by any means. Amusingly enough, the nine year old was still a pro at keeping up appearances. Even though she made sure not to directly interact with them, she allowed the media to paint a pretty picture of her. It wasn't easy for her to be the ambassador, the humans were ready to tear her bit from bit. But ever since the very first time she sat before the world leaders she made sure she spoke with confidence. Rather, as much confidence as a nine year old in the face of savage men could muster.

He knew she wanted nothing more than to leave and go to her room, to pretend she had succeeded that night when he had stopped her. But her strength stopped her from linger upon it in the face of the other humans. During the meetings, Sans stood behind her chair to one side while Papyrus stood to the other presenting themselves as her guards, so to speak. They didn't sign up for the job at first but it soon became clear that the others just would not do. Asgore and Toriel would try to baby her making her lose credibility, Alphys was…Alphys. And Undyne would try to fight someone the moment they upset her.

With that, only himself and Papyrus remained to take the roles. To his brother's credit, he did a good job at playing the fierce silent protector despite his relatively goofy demeanor. Papyrus was naïve, not stupid. He knew very well what was at stake… The others stood to the side lines. watching in anticipation as the gathering began and Frisk was called to attention. At first, they had expected her to hesitate but as she stood up the little girl's eyes lit up with determination and she opened her mouth to say her piece.

There was something about the child that made you listen when she put on the demeanor necessary for the leaders. She demanded attention. For every option that was presented to her, every situation of war the humans could come up with, she did her best to dissuade and force the men to see the error of their ways. Didn't matter that he had heard her pacifist speeches before, it still caught his attention; it still distracted him. There was something about the kid that made you pay attention; that made you want to listen and absorb every word she spoke. It was hard to explain. It reminded him of the first time Toby heard the sounds of his whoopee cushion in action.

The dog stopped and for a brief second and took in the new sound, memorizing it. That was the closest he could get to explain why they listened so carefully. It was just so…foreign for the little girl to speak in such a way. But when she did, he realized she was more charismatic than he originally believed. She knew what to say, when to say but then again when one lived through multiple timelines of surviving based off of pure mercy, it was hard not to hold a sliver tongue. By the end of the meeting she had done her best to ease irrational fears; she had an answer for most things and things she didn't have an answer for she by passed to the best of her ability. The humans needed to understand that they weren't going away. Monsters weren't going to murder people. They weren't going to conquer the world, they just wanted to be.

Things weren't perfect, he wasn't saying that at all. Some of the leaders were still resistant to change, some were just plan resistant to their existence. Nevertheless, an outright war was something they didn't have to worry about and that was enough to rejoice. But whereas the others agreed that the meeting was a sound success, he was hesitant. It was only one meeting after all. Although a child who could take on Undyne without a weapon and win was a child to be reckoned with, a little girl could only do so much against men of power in one meeting. Yet across some faces, he could see amusement which lead to patience for the child ambassador and that patience for her was the closest tie to allegiance he could pin point.

However, unlike the others, he wasn't surprised when Frisk went right back to despondency the moment they were out of the media's eye. Toriel and Asgore did their best in an attempt to pry the child out of her silence. Toriel apologized for her reaction (for perhaps the hundredth time), hugged her and even baked a pie just for her. But besides a few head gestures and staring she didn't give them the time of day. Asgore had assured everyone that time would heal the strife between them and Frisk but…That was during the third month. Today marked six months and one day.

Toriel and Asgore still tried their hardest but she was stubborn, as always. They tended to enjoy the media now more than they did when they first arrived. If there were cameras around, Frisk would smile. If there were people nearby she would do her best to charm them so that the media could show the world that this innocent little girl was the champion of these beast the humans thought where evil. But if she was with them alone? It was almost as if she was attempting to silently will away their presence and quite frankly he was tired of it. He knew this was his fault but nothing would come from it if everyone continued to play this game of keep away.

"SANS WE'RE HERE!!" The skeleton opened his eyes and moved to get out of the car. He walked behind the others at a leisurely pace and watched as the ex monarchy opened the door and allowed them in. "WE ARE HERE YOUR MAJESTY AND WE HAVE BROUGHT THE SNACKS THAT YOU HAVE REQUESTED! PERHAPS THIS WILL BRING THE HUMAN OUT FROM HER ROOM!" Toriel smiled softly.  
"Thank you, Papyrus. It is good to see you all I am glad you all have come." Undyne flexed her muscles and grinned.  
"Once we get the games started that little punk will definitely come down! If not I'll-"

"You'll what Undyne? Man handle a little girl on the end of your spear until she complies?" Once more, the ex-captain of the guard glared at the shorter skeleton for his scathing comments. He, however, paid it no mind. "Sup, Tori." The woman smiled at him.  
"Hello, Sans. We're just finishing up with the rest of the cooking. Feel free to make yourselves at home." Sans followed behind the others but just as he was going to make his way towards the couch a hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Sans, may I have a word...?" It was his instinct to immediately say no. He knew very well how this conversation was going to go and he knew he wanted no part of it. Yet, his resolve fell just a bit when he looked at her face.

"Sure, Tori." The woman smiled and lead the skeleton to the kitchen before making a mug of hot chocolate for them both. The skeleton took a seat at the table and merely waited for her to speak. He was hardly surprised at her words.  
"I know... I am in no position to ask this from you especially when I am responsible for putting us all in this situation." If he had one, he would have raised a eyebrow at her words."But I am at my wits end... I don't know what to do or how to get Frisk to speak to us. I don't know what I can do in order to show her how sorry I am for how poorly I handled everything. Today I tried to tell her about this gathering and how we all wanted to spend time with her but she barely gave me a response. She merely nodded and moved to her room."

The skeleton took a sip of his mug and cocked his head.  
"Seems about right. Its how she's been for six months, Toriel. Did you expect it to magically change?" Toriel shook her head.  
"No but Sans despite what we may deserve for our reactions, I don't want her to turn her heart from us." Looking down, the woman stared into her mug.  
"Because in my own, I feel as if that is what happened with Chara..." There was a pause of unease that passed between them but towards the end, Sans rolled his eyes.

"What a pain. Here you were scolding Frisk about being selfish but you must truly be her mother if the fruit doesn't fall to far from the tree." He rose up before the woman could retort and looked at her with a unamused grin. "I was already going to talk to her today, Toriel. You don't need to play at my heart strings in a attempt to get me too." Once again, he stopped her from speaking. "But its high time we all keep in mind who the adults are in this situation and start acting like it. I won't always be there to fix the rift made between us all." The woman smiled sadly.  
"I know... Thank you, Sans." The skeleton waved the woman off.  
"Sure thing, Tori. Just have a bottle of ketchup waiting for me." Something told him he was going to need it.

Despite what the woman wanted however, Sans didn't bother to speak to the child during the entire day. Frisk made sparse appearances only coming down to get food, get a few drinks and return back to her room. She kept her frosty disposition towards them only seeming to let up naturally towards Papyrus. Even then, she didn't speak aloud. The other's tired to push a interaction between themselves and her but she would shut it down immediately making it known that she wanted nothing to do with them. Although he found it more than amusing to see her act that way towards Undyne, it was a behavior that needed to end.

It would do him no good to confront her when everyone was awake, though. There was no intention that night to drive back to their respective homes. With enough rooms to house them all for the night, the skeleton waited for everyone to settle down for the night before getting out of his own bed. He found himself walking towards her room in the dead of night knowing the kid was awake, knowing that there was nothing to stop them from speaking one on one. He doubted though that the child would dare speak but he was hopeful he would get her to say something even if it was something he didn't want to hear.

Opening the door, he spotted the smaller form of the girl sitting on the window edge enjoying the night breeze. The sight hit a little too close to home for him and, without consent, his magic wrapped around her and brought her back inside. Once she was standing on her feet, she stared him down keeping her face blank even though he could feel her rage at his intrusion. Sans wasn't afraid of this child but the face she gave off reminded him of a less peaceful timeline. Still, it wasn't the time to reflect on such things was it? Sighing, he spoke up.

"How long you plan to keep this up kid…?" She said nothing. "You're pissed at me fine but don't take it out on everyone else. Don't you think you've made them pay enough?" Still silence. Reaching up, he rubbed the back of his vertebrae as he tried to find his words. "I didn't tell them to hurt you kid. I told them because I don't want you to do anything reckless. I told them because I wanted you to know that they wouldn't have been happy without you. But you're here giving them the five finger brush off and they aren't any happier. You made your point but know I will never regret saving you. You're trying to distance yourself so by some miracle we'll let you do your thing. But I got news for you kid—its not going to happen. We're not going to let you die." He wasn't going to let her die.

Children were fickle things. Sometimes, they seemed to be a endless pool of untouched innocent wisdom unable to be deterred from the actions they sought to accomplish. And other times, they were slaves to pent up emotions unable to control them as they moved to explode within. Normally, Frisk rarely allowed her emotions to get the best of her but this time she couldn't help it. The creature of her ire stood before her and although she did her best to empty herself, she couldn't help it. She just couldn't. Stomping her foot down, she began to snap and despite the mental maturity she retained due to the resets, the tantrum won out in the end.

"I hate you. I hate you more than Chara." She didn't. "I hate you more than I've hated anyone in my life." She really didn't. "You took the one chance I had to make sure things would never reset away!" He made sure she would have many more chances to succeed in this life again. He wouldn't let her throw her life away. He had to keep telling himself that in face of the vicious words the little girl threw at him. It didn't feel good having the kid tell him these things but he knew that if she didn't get them out they would get worse. So he did what he did best and allowed his grin and laid back shrug to stroke the inner flames further.

"Shit happens kid." She released a short scream of frustration.  
"Screw you! I hate you! You ruined everything!" He did his best to stop the grimace from showing on his face as he taunted her once more.  
"Oh really? And what are you going to do about it?" He knew exactly what she was going to do about it. Six months ago it may have been but the lesson he learned that day stuck—Frisk was a child. She was a child who had been holding her breath in retaliation for six months and now, she was going to breathe.

Overcome by grief and rage, the little girl launched herself at the skeleton punching at him with her tiny fist. And he let her. It didn't hurt him really, he knew Frisk herself was as much of a threat as a lady bug. Not to mention, the fact that her attacks weakened gradually until she was a sobbing mess. That hurt him more than any physical attack could. Yet it was exactly the reaction he was waiting for. Without a word, he scooped the child up and sat down on the bed with her in his lap. She didn't fight him; no her walls had been broken down and now nothing remained but tears and tiredness. Leaning his back against the wall he looked down at her gently as a boney hand ran through her hair. For a while, there was nothing but silence and the sounds of her crying but when the tears finally stopped she raised her hands and wiped her face with a slight tremble.

"I hate you."

"I know."

"You're awful."

"I know."

She looked up with tired eyes and he locked on to them as she spoke on. "Why'd you do it…? Why did you tell them...?" Now it was his turn to pause and after a moment he shrugged.

"I made a promise." Looking up with a tear stained face, Frisk frowned as he removed his hoodie and wrapped it around her. She looked at him in absolute confusion as he continued on. "Someone told me to be happy." Her expression turned into one of shock if not horror as she realized it was her own words but before she could retort—and six months to late—he pulled his hood down over her face in payback as he brought her back against him. "But you know, the little snot who told me that forgot one thing. What makes someone happy isn't something we can decide. Happiness cannot be force. Happiness just is kid. It just is… So I had the decision to either let you do your thing or be selfish and keep my promise." She pushed up the hood just a bit allowing her to catch him winking at her. "I decided being selfish and happy in the long run was worth it." For a bit, she merely stared at him as silence overcame them and after a bit she finally, truly relaxed against him even going so far as to hug him as she did.

"I don't hate you…" His grin widened just a bit and he rested his head on top of hers as she slowly opened herself again.

"I know, kid."

"You're not awful."

"I know."

"You didn't ruin everything…"

"I know."

The next bout of silence was peaceful and after that emotionally draining episode the skeleton found himself quickly slipping into sleep.

"Sans…?"

"Hm?"

"…Did you just call me a 'little snot'?"

"…Go to sleep kid."


	3. What The Water Gave Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all if you haven't figured it out by now, every title of each chapter so far is a Florence + the Machine song.  
> Why? Cause I'm listening to each one to get me in the mood. 
> 
> Also lawd this woman's jaw line. I can stare at this shit all day.
> 
> Okay, okay I'm cool--we good.

After speaking to the little girl that night she did move to open herself back up to the others. It wasn't a immediate process, she was still relatively hurt by the other's reactions to her intended suicide. She was speaking to them though and allowing herself to let them back in at her own pace. For him, that was good enough. Perhaps the only one she immediately returned back to normal with was Papyrus. He found it amusing at first and when he inquired upon why she shrugged.

"Pap didn't do me wrong. He just tries to hard to make everyone happy. It would have been too hard to remain mad if I had allowed him in." Fair enough. She wouldn't admit it and he wouldn't say anything but she opened up to him quickly as well. Things weren't perfect; she still sassed him in moments where she felt she was still right in thinking about taking her life and she glared at him when he chided her. But she remained close by when he was near and to his surprise he didn't mind it.

Forgiveness did not mean forgetting and it was very clear from how the child interacted with Toriel and Undyne that she hadn't forgotten. Where she would once run immediately to Toriel, she moved toward Asgore and himself first now. Where she had once excitedly sought out Undyne to hang out with, now she delegated time solely for Papyrus first and foremost. At first, the women took it in stride but when they moved to push Frisk into interacting as they once had he stepped in reminding them of how they ended up in this position in the first place. In time things would go back to as they were, but if they didn't then they had no one to blame but themselves. For now they should take what they can get.

Sans cracked his eyes opened at the sounds of feet running down the stairs and his grin widened besides himself. She wasn't trying to kill herself anymore but if she kept running down the stairs like that he wouldn't be surprised if she broke her neck. The irony... Frisk came to stand besides him on the couch with her book bag in her hand.

"Don't forget you promised to help me with my science homework today, Sans." The skeleton broke away from his thoughts and looked at the child as she placed on her book bag. "Is this apart of the science fair, kid?" She shook her head. "No, not yet. We're just learning about physical and chemical changes but I don't understand it. My teacher tries to help but she doesn't have a lot of time after class." Nodding, Sans stretched out on the couch and closed his eyes.

"Science 101 with Sans it is then. I gotcha when you come home from school." Grinning, Frisk went up to him and without warning flopped down on his chest. He opened his eyes half way to look at her with a snort. "Rude." She brushed his comment off.  
"Do I need to set 12 alarms to make sure you're awake by the time school is over?" Sans' laughed softly lightly, jostling the child on his chest.  
"Probably. Sleep does come naturally to me, ya know." Unable to help it, Frisk found herself rolling her eyes.  
"You don't say..."  
"Yup. I can do it with my eyes closed." The laugh that left her was worth it and he sat up with her in his arms before setting her down. "Alright go catch your bus before you miss it." Wrinkling her nose she started to argue but he was quick to usher her towards the front door. "No shortcuts." Frisk huffed but smiled regardless and waved before making her way out the front door.

Toriel had asked him to hold down the fort while herself and the others went into town. She wanted to make sure someone was there to see Frisk off to school in the morning and that was fine by him. It meant a moment of silence in between the time she left and the time the others came back home. Over the past few days the group had taken a new fascination with human traditions. They had stated that they were only going in to town to grab some necessities but he was pretty sure that they would come back with some new holiday or tradition to celebrate. Laying back on the couch once more at the sounds of the school bus taking off, Sans closed his eyes. If he was going to have to deal with their new found love of a human holiday he might as well get some sleep first...

Sans slept on for a good six hours without being disturbed. It didn't sound too surprising, sleeping was his thing after all. Still, one would have thought that the skeleton would have been more used to the screeches of his brother upon trying to sleep. He heard them from the moment they came out of the car and although wide awake, the skeleton kept his eyes close as the others came in with their bags of goodies.

"WE MUST ASK THE HUMAN WHAT HER DAY OF BIRTH IS!! SHE DESERVES A BIRTHDAY PARTY BUT WHAT IF IT PASSED ALREADY?" Undyne looked at Toriel with slight worry as she placed her bags down on the table.  
"You think the punk would let it go by without telling us?" Toriel exchanged a look with Asgore before frowning.  
"Even we have had a hard time figuring out her birthday. We simply put the date that we met her when we have to know." Asgore nodded and turned his eyes to Papyrus.  
"She did deflect when we did try to pry a exact date from her once before as well."A shocked gasp fell from Alphys as she looked at the others in horror.  
"T-Then do you even know i-if she has one? What i-if Frisk-?"  
  
Oh for the love of...

“Everyone has a birthday, Alphys. If you guys are so worried about it why don't you ask her straight up?" All eyes turned to Sans and he found himself wishing he kept his mouth shut. He knew he had signed up for something he wanted no part of with that one comment. Papyrus ran to his brother and took him by his shoulders shaking him wildly as he sat up upon the couch.

"SANS! FOR ONCE YOU HAVE COME UP WITH A BRILLIANT IDEA!"  
"Thank...you?"  
"YOU ARE CLOSE TO THE HUMAN! SURELY SHE WILL SPEAK TO YOU OPENLY!" Sans' grin widened a bit.  
"Isn't Undyne her bestie?" The fish woman began to interject but Papyrus cut her off.

"NO. YOU HAVE SURPASSED BESTIES WITH FRISK! YOU TWO ARE OBVIOUSLY BFF'S. UNDYNE COULD NEVER REACH THAT LEVEL AFTER FRISK HAD DEMOTED HER!" The look of horror upon Undyne's face turned to rage and the group couldn't help but to laugh.

"YOU TALKING SHIT PAP!?" Papyrus merely ignored her as he continued to speak to his brother.  
"RIGHT NOW YOU ARE THE TOP OF THE BFF PILLAR THEN IT IS I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS! UNDYNE IS SIMPLY A BASIC FRIEND!" The ex-royal guard leader pulled his brother from him and placed him in a head lock. Or at least that’s what Sans thought happened. He was too busy trying to get the world to stop spinning. Sans placed a hand to his head waited for the world to stop as Asgore spoke up.

"You were the one who managed to get her to talk again Sans." The skeleton shrugged it off.  
"Wasn't that hard really." Honestly it wasn't, but he was getting where they were going with this. Ever since she began to interact with them once more the group had begun to take a rather new interest with his relationship with the kid. Specifically, how willing she was to listen to him above the rest. After taking the chance to escape Undyne's hold, Papyrus beamed.  
"IF YOU CAN GET THE HUMAN TO TALK TO US AFTER THAT THEN YOU CAN SURELY PRY HER BIRTHDAY OUT OF HER." Leaning against the couch the shortest monster closed his eyes.

Sans knew if he really pushed he would get answers out of the kid. That wasn't the problem. The true problem lied in the fact that he didn't feel it was worth it. Not that he wasn't curious himself when it came to knowing but the kid had already made progress in opening up again. If there was something associated with her birthday that she didn't want to remember or didn't want to bring up he wasn't going to push her. He could already see how the months she spent closed off turned her into a bit of a recluse. Pushing her into these certain kind of situations wouldn't do nothing but place more of a mental tax upon her. And to be quite honest, he was pretty sure knowing and celebrating her day of birth would have been more for them than for the actual child. Closing his eyes the skeleton shook his head.

"Does it really matter—"  
"YES!" The unison answer caused him to crack an eye open and with a huff he shoved his hands in his pockets and stood up.  
"Seriously, I don't see why it matters. It'd be easier just to count her age by the year and call it a day. When Frisk wants us to know something she lets us know. She might not want a birthday party at all. Ever think about that?" His brother stomped his foot down and pointed at him accusingly.  
"YOUR IGNORANCE OF THE HUMAN WORLD IS APPALLING, SANS! ALL HUMANS CELEBRATE THEIR BIRTHDAY! ESPECIALLY CHILDREN!" If it was anyone else but Pap he would have been quick to set them straight but when it came to his brother ignorance was bliss.

Despite knowing everything now, the group continuously failed to realize a truth he had accepted a long time ago. Frisk was probably the most inhuman human child they knew. What she desired differed entirely from other children. He didn't voice his opinions but he became a bit more resolute in letting the matter die out it's on its own. That was until Toriel came to him. She placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled before giving him the most gut wrenching pleading look she could muster. Out of them all, he was still rather inwardly bitter a her for the way she handled the news of Frisk's attempted suicide. Regardless, she was still his friend and a close one at that-she knew exactly how to get what she wanted from him. Groaning, the skeleton adverted his eyes.  
"You're killing me, Tori…" She didn't back down.  
"Please Sans…?" Rolling his eyes despite himself he grumbled. If they were so damn adamant about learning her birthday he supposed he had to be the one to figure it out. He didn't need them to charge in head first and render the child despondent once more.

"When does the kid get out of school anyway…?" Perking up knowingly, the woman clapped her hands.  
"She'll be getting out of school in the next hour! If you leave now you can pick her up. And thank you, Sans."  
He shrugged. "Still don't know what's the big deal." Shoving his face in his brother's, Papyrus scolded his brother accordingly.

"STOP BEING SUCH A PESSIMIST SANS! THIS WILL BE GREAT!" Grinning widely, Sans winked.  
"Well, you know what they say—" Narrowing his eyes, Papyrus could smell a set up a mile away.  
"DON'T. YOU. DARE." Sans walked backwards, his grin widening.  
"A pessimist's blood is b-negative." As he passed through his 'shortcut' he could hear Toriel's laughter and his brother's screech of dismay.

He reappeared some way away from the school and took his time walking towards it. Out of all the monsters, he was the one who didn't feel the greatest need to keep up with human customs. If anything important did come up then the kid was generally around to let him know what was going on. Generally when they were planning for the celebrations, he was asleep through the preparation any way so it wasn't like he had to know. But he found his interest in the child's birthday growing more and more as he walked on. It was one of the many things they didn't know about the mysterious child that had entered their lives.  
  
Humans had multiple different races. What was hers? She wasn't black but she wasn't white either. Was she Hispanic? Russian? Was even she born in this area? Why did she end up falling down Mount Ebott anyway? He severely doubt that she was suicidal back then. Who were her parents? Her actually blood parents? There were so many questions he had that he was sure the others would like to know as well. But unlike the others, he knew they had all the time in the world to figure it out. He was in no rush to pull teeth from the child if it wasn't needed.

By the time he arrived at the school yard, the kids were already out and about. Some were already jumping on school buses and others were just waiting for their parents to pick them up. He was slightly put off when he noticed that Frisk wasn't on the line to get into her school bus but one scan around the yard put him at ease. It wasn't too hard to spot her out of the field of children. She was the only one with that infamous sweater, the only one who didn't stand with some growing preteen uncertainty and the only child jumping down from trees as the others watched. He watched her instruct the others in how to copy her movements and watched them attempt and fail. It was amusing to be honest but he wasn't going to just stand there and watch this all day.

The children before her spotted him quickly and either cowered or stared in utter awe yet Frisk never turned around. The fearlessness the child held was both amusing and worrying when it came to being unaware of her surroundings. Yet, perhaps it was to be expected. After multiple lifetimes in a dangerous underground society that wanted you dead it would be hard to take things out side of that as a threat. While the children before her were stunned in their own reactions, Frisk merely cocked her head in confusion at their responses. Without a warning, he lifted her up effortlessly successfully getting the drop on her. Eyes wide at the intrusion, she had begun to fight him at first but when she realized who it was she huffed as she found herself sitting upon his shoulders. A gruff laughter escaped him as she scowled at him but she was quick to smile back at the other children. Realizing it was time to go, she waved goodbye to the others before looking down at his face.

"I've seen more meat on a chicken than you, kid." Grinning, her hands found purchase upon the fur that lined his hoodie as he turned to walk them home.  
"I'm fine with that. Obesity is a big issue you know." Oh, she was a riot.  
"Hey now, they aren't fat. They are horizontally enhanced." Frisk lost it at that, giggling despite herself. He continued on. "After all a waist is a terrible thing to mind."  
"Sans, stop~"  
"Even if diets are for people who are thick and tired of it."

Once more she laughed but as she did he knew she was taking note of the fact that he had picked her up from school as well as the fact that he wasn't using any shortcuts. That was the thing about Frisk, she was always observant even when she was seemingly distracted. Once her laughter subsided she raised a eyebrow.

"How come you are here to pick me up…? Is Toriel busy?" He huffed.  
"Can't pick up my favorite, ankle biter?" She rolled her eyes and he could hear the frown across her lips.  
"One day, I'm going to get taller than you then you won't be able to make cracks." Sans shrugged, effectively bouncing the child just slightly.  
"Sorry kid, midget jokes are very belittling I know." She bit her lip to avoid snickering and instead swung her foot to kick him just slightly with her heel.  
"Don't ignore me, Sans." He squeezed her ankles playfully.  
"That would be impolite." Though she was amused he could tell she was getting impatient at his lack of properly answers.  
"Why did you come to pick me up?" The skeleton seemed to ponder a answer however she knew better. He was merely scanning his brain (...cranium?) for a relevant pun.  
"Well they say midgets get upset if you say 'High', so I decided picking you up was just the same."

"Sans!" Her whine caused him to laugh besides himself and he looked up slightly. He had avoided it up until now but there was no reason to continue beating around the bush.  
"I was sent to interrogate you." That caught her attention instantly and the girl cocked her head as she looked down.  
"About what?" Once again, he shrugged.  
"When is your birthday kid?" It was as if the sentence was her kryptonite. She froze up quickly and tightened her grip on his hoodie's fur collar. This was the reaction he was worried about. Not knowing about Frisk's past meant also not knowing about the traumas associated with it. He refused to bring up memories that would cause her to shut down and so he moved to dismiss the inquiry all together. At least, that was the plan before she gave a answer that confused him into his own morbid curiosity.

"Dun' know." He blinked.  
  
"Dun'... know?" Frisk shifted upon his shoulders in nervousness but responded.  
"Nope." Oh... Well then. ... _what?_  
"I thought all humans knew their birthday?" This time, she didn't respond as quickly as if attempting to find a excuse to end the conversation. She didn't in the end and instead moved to speak her truth.

"I used to know it. By heart… All I know now is I was born when it was still snowing." Sans wasn't well versed on human culture, no, but he knew that not knowing her birth was anything but normal. Wishing to know more he continued but he did not push her too hard with his questioning.  
"Well that's…vague." Sans looked back at the road before them as the nine year old rested her head upon his. If he didn't know better he would say that she was attempting to use him to ground herself but he paid it no mind as he continued.

"How did you forget?" Once more, she didn't answer right away and at first he had thought she was going to refuse to. The tiny unsure voice that came from her told him otherwise and made him wish he hadn't asked to begin with.  
"The resets came with their price, Sans." Now it was his turn to freeze up but even though he did his body never stopped moving forward.

"What do you mean, Frisk?" The sound of her name coming from him told her that there was no backing out of answering now. But she wasn't going to, after all she found it was rather hard to hide things from Sans in the first place. Might as well tell him on her own terms now than have him find out later. Fidgeting, she spoke on. "At first it was small things. I forgot what my favorite color was. Then I forgot what neighborhood I lived in. Then I forgot what city I lived in… What house… What my parents looked like… Who they were…" Her voice wavered at this part and if he had a heart it would break for her. "I have a birthday, Sans. I just don't remember when it is. Memories are the price I pay to reset the world." The information sunk in as he came to a stop and with a soft expression he looked up at her only to meet her eyes.

"How come you never told us, kid?" Frisk frowned deeply. "Well considering how badly they reacted to everything else… How well do you think Toriel would take knowing that I have effectively wiped parts of my memory every time I reset the universe?" Amusingly enough, the pair took a moment to think about it before they both shared a collective shiver. "And besides, you guys don't ever celebrate birthdays anyway. I never thought it would be brought up." Sans almost wanted to sigh again as if he wasn't doing a lot of that lately. It was just like the kid to keep something like that from them if she thought it would cause an issue or inconvenience them.

"That's a lot to keep from us." A mirthless smile came upon her lips.  
"Them or you?" He relaxed his shoulders at her jest.  
"Both." Sans had never even considered the fact that maybe the resets came with a price besides you know, resetting the entire universe but he supposed it made sense. After all nothing came without its cost. It seemed that it was just another price the child had to pay for the power she had taken on. It was still a shame that she had forgotten so much of where she came from and the words fell from him before he could check himself.  
  
"You basically don't remember a thing about who you are."

Sans had quickly found out, the more time he spent around Frisk, that anger and determination came hand in hand. Upon feeling her anger rise, he wasn't surprised in the least when she became determined to make a point. Again, her fingers clutch the fur collar but this time rage guided her grip.

"I know what matters Sans." She snapped. "I'm Frisk. I'm nine years old. I saved your ungrateful butt and the others from your imprisonment down in Mount Ebott, even though you all have collectively murdered me multiple times." Gasping sarcastically, she feigned a shock look. "Did you know I can reset the universe? That's a thing. I'm a child ambassador who has to represent a entire foreign race because no one else can or will. Most likely due to the fact that anyone who could is either **unwilling** or would immediately bring monsters to their death. And I'm starting to have a complex when it comes to spaghetti." The sass grew as Frisk went on a roll and his grin tightened in dismay.

"Oh and I have a very strange family. Have you seen them? My mother is a monster, my father is a monster, my uncles are monsters and my aunts are too. My brother is a soulless flower now and my sister is an evil soul that got dispelled. By the way, just in case you didn't know, me and my uncle have literally killed each other multiple times in different timelines—" The sharp look the skeleton gave her cut her short and he growled.

"Alright, kid, alright. Knock it off, I get it." Narrowing her eyes, Frisk couldn't help but continue despite the warning to cut her attitude.  
  
"Do you? I know who I am Sans. What I forgot is where I came from. There is a difference and even if I remembered what my mother looked like or what my last name was, it wouldn't change the person I am now." Frisk did soften up at first but the sass rose again with each word and he knew better than to continue on with the line of conversation. It would do no good to bring the kid home upset especially when the others were in a jovial mood. Not to mention, even though he could sass the kid right back it would have been more energy than it was worth. Instead, he chose the smarter option in continuing forward.

"Why not just pick a day then?" Taken aback, Frisk frowned not following his line of thought.  
"Pick…a day?" Sans took his eyes off of her and proceeded to walk on once more.  
"You said you remembered snow right? Pick a day in a month where it normally snows and bam, there you go. We got you a certified birthday." A pregnant pause passed them before he could feel her shrug. "  
I guess. It doesn't really work like that." She mumbled softly. "I'm sure it doesn't but beggars can't be choosers when their memories are gone. Not to mention it'll get the others off your back when they start getting pushy about your birthday." Frisk mulled the thought over in her head before responding gently. "I guess." They continued on in silence and once again he believed he had backed the kid into a corner rendering her speechless. He had barely missed her words as she spoke.  
"December twenty second."  
"Hmm?"

He stopped as she leaned over his skull so that they could make eye contact.  
"I want it to be on December twenty second." The skeleton couldn't help but to snort softly.  
"That's rather specific for someone who can't remember it." She pursed her lips.  
"I think… It has something to do with my mother. My real mother but I really can't grasp on to anything past that. Like I said, what's left of the memories is fleeting. When ever I think of that day I can kind of imagine her, if only just." He softened as she watched him as he considered it only for him to grin up at her.  
"December twenty second it is." Frisk gave a confirming nod before settling against him and mumbling.  
"You still didn't answer my question." Chuckling, the skeleton feigned ignorance.

"Oh? And what question would that be?" Frisk released a grunt of irritation.  
"I still wanna know why they sent you." Sans snorted.  
"Would you really have told the others?" Not a chance in hell. "Besides, what's a dunkle for?" At that she laughed, the light mood once more hovering around them.  
"You suck at the dad part. I'm removing 35 points." Placing a hand over his chest, Sans once more moved to walk.  
"Ouch kid, right to the heart." She pressed her cheek against the top of his skull and closed her eyes. Who knew unleashing so much sass could be exhausting?  
"But," She started. "10 points for the uncle part, I guess. But just barely." They had some way to go before they finally got home so she didn't feel bad in the least when she began to drift off. His last words however didn't pass her by.

"Can't win them all kid."


	4. No light, No light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soju, soju, baiju, baiju~
> 
> Look if you haven't had either you can't hang okay?
> 
> OKAY CUZ? ...okay.

Monsters were opened to allowing humans into their hearts. They wanted nothing more than to live once more at peace with them and simply live their lives. It was a naive idea considering that their trust in humans was what in part ended with them being locked underground but it was what it was. Even Undyne found herself working towards the greater goal now of making sure that everyone lived in peace. But where there were those who wished to be optimistic, he sought rather to remain realistic. Humans had not changed, not really. When it came to fear they were willing to throw all caution to the wind and annihilate what ever threatened their small little world.

The past few days had been a mess and that was putting it lightly. Frisk had taken off more than one school day to deal with the mounting pressures that came with being a ambassador. She had managed to circumvent the issues that were brought up to her but to be honest they both knew that all she manged to do was put a band-aid the situation. Overnight they both dove into history books to see how past leaders, both humans and monsters alike, had dealt with these issues but their inexperience was catching up to them. Sans did his best to calm the child's fears of not being able to handle the problems every leader brought up but he found that he himself was having problems grasping a hold of a solution. He was a scientist and a judge goddammit, not a politician. So when the message came from the French Leader, they both found themselves relieved and wary. Especially when he requested that the little girl arrive to his estate alone.

Toriel and Asgore were quick to dismiss the request stating whatever the man had to say he could easily say in front of them. Having their child cross lines into unknown territory to go meet a man they didn't personally know was a idea that horrified them. However, Frisk knew better--he knew better. This was more than just a simple request for tea between to political figures. This was a test. A chance to see if Frisk could stand on her own two feet and fill the role given to her or see if the child was nothing more than a little girl the monsters were puppeteering around for show. Neither Sans nor Frisk were happy about it themselves but if she showed up there with a army of monsters on her side, Frisk would lose whatever face she had built up and the chances of regaining it were little to none. Asgore had quickly realized this once it was explained to him and though she continued to fight it up until Frisk left for the estate there was little Toriel could do against the decision to allow Frisk to go alone.

"This way please."

Frisk followed the man silently, back straight and posture well-tuned. It was supposed to be her first diplomatic meeting without her family standing by her side and she knew it wouldn't be her first or last time without them. She was nervous but she knew she could not fail. Despite her request for her family to take it seriously, mostly her parents, there was no real push from them in order to make stable connections with the nations around them. They failed to realize that they couldn't play nice without allies to back them up. If anything happened, if one monster stepped out of line now and stirred up trouble for the rest, no one would have their back. In her time at the estate, she had to leave with the man on their side or at least willing to entertain the thought of striking up a allegiance with the monsters. She didn't know what would happen if she left there and failed...

But success meant that she was forced to dress the part she wished to play as well. Frisk did not dress up in a dress as one might have expected from a little girl meeting an important figure. Instead, she wore a black suit with a tie presenting herself as a figure of importance. Try as they might, Frisk dodged her parents efforts to dress her any other way. She was adamant about how she wanted to be viewed and she would be viewed no other way than how she wished. It wasn't about dressing pretty or nice, it was about making sure those before her knew she was in a position of power. When her escort came to a stop she stopped behind him and looked up.

"Monsieur Aimé will be with you shortly, Madam. Until then please make yourself at home." She resisted the urge to wrinkle her nose at the title, but she nodded regardless. "Please feel free to enjoy the treats prepared for your arrival and rest up from your trip. I will let you know when he has arrived." Before she could even get a word out Frisk turned only to witness the door closing.

For a moment she merely stood there, taking in the grandiose room with vivid interest. There was a feeling of familiarity to it that she could not place but now wasn't the time to think about such things. Moving over to the table that hosted an arrangement of teas and sweets, she made herself a large cup of tea before moving to sit. The chair seemed to dwarf her. Its back came well above her head and the arm rest acted like walls to barricade her torso within. But to have such a small frame with a surplus of determination within the seat also made her look much fiercer than she actually was. And within the shadows, if only for a microsecond, he would take in the view as it was, knowing full well that it was going to be a sight he would see more and more as time progressed.

Sans knew very well he should not have been there. He was the one who argued just as fiercely besides Frisk that she was to do this alone without the others. He was the one who told them that even though she was under their care being the ambassador meant she wasn't always able to be under their watch. He was a hypocrite and he knew it. For after the very first time he read that letter he knew very well that he was not going to allow Frisk to possibly walk head first into a trap alone. Besides, it wasn't as if he would be found out as easily as the others would have been. He was the only one who could get in and out without being detected. He didn't know why she was summoned here and told to come by herself… But he didn't have a good feeling about letting her go off on her own. Call it over protective or habit; to him it was all the same at this point. All he needed to do was get in, observe the situation and perhaps even the meeting and get out. Easy Peasy.

Perhaps the only thing Sans hadn't counted on was Frisk's familiarity with his invisible presence. When the little girl looked dead in his direction he stiffened and watched as she frowned.

"When I asked Asgore if I could have a guard dog I was joking, Sans. I didn't mean you should fill the roll." He said nothing as she turned her eyes to her cup and took a sip of her tea. He knew he was found out but he didn't step out right away as he took it upon himself to respond from his spot.

"Woof." It was his only response and he could practically hear her trying not to giggle even if she wanted nothing more than to glare at him. Putting her cup back down on her saucer she shook her head.  
"Seriously? Bad dog."  
"What can I say? Today's been ruff." Despite the twinkle of amusement in her eyes he knew the moment of playfulness was over. Stepping out of the shadows, the skeleton stalked up to her as they locked eyes. His shadow overcame her but she neither shied away from it nor backed down.

"You aren't supposed to be here." He moved to the side of her chair, leaned against it and released a gruff sound.  
"Nope." She wrinkled her nose.

"Monsieur Aimé requested I come alone."  
"Yep." Her eyebrows furrowed.  
"Yet here you are."  
"Here I am." They stared each other down for a while and he waited for her to scold him or even throw some sass at him but the smile was something he didn't expect at all. Grinning from ear to ear, the kid laughed despite herself.

"You mean to tell me you can't be bothered to help me in the underground but you get worried if I'm alone with a human for a bit? You are a new kind of hypocrite, Sans." Ouch. He placed a hand on her head and ruffled her hair much to her displeasure.  
"Humanity is a whole different kind a monster, kid." Her grinned softened and she took one more a sip of her tea before placing it down to the side. Frisk leaned back in the chair, finally finding a comfortable spot, before folding her hands in her lap.  
"I know. Remember? I am one after all."

She was indeed. It was almost amusing how well Frisk seemed to represent the two sides of humanity. On one hand, they could give so much and build a world of wonder no other race could accomplish. On the other hand, they were perhaps the biggest threat alive to every single living thing. But there was one huge difference between Frisk and the humans she came from...

"Nah." The look of playfulness that was on her face turned to one of confusion but he didn't answer until she pushed him further.  
"What do you mean?" He rubbed the back of his vertebrae and relaxed his grin.  
"Look at ya, kid. You're more of the textbook definition of a monster than you are human."

A monster. One who deviates from normal or acceptable behavior. There was nothing she could ever do to deviate from that definition. She was the child who descended into the mountain and beat every single monster that came her way not with weapons but with mercy. Others, even in self defense, would murder their enemies without a second thought. A monster. A person of unnatural or extreme ugliness, deformity, wickedness, or cruelty. She couldn't claim deformity or ugliness in appearance but she could claim ugliness of the heart considering the sins that would always be weighed against her. Wickedness was see in the way she would run through the underworld and murder those she loved and loved her in return. And cruelty was the stain of LOVE that rested on her soul, that she forced upon Sans, after every genocidal reset. As she looked down at her hands, she watched them tremble but she was quick to stop it. She was a monster. She knew that very well.

And he knew this wasn't a moment for introspection. Sans could have kicked himself the moment he witnessed her reaction but it was hard to keep from saying it. This meeting was important and he should have known better than to strike up such a conversation right before hand. She needed to be on her A game and this didn't help. He had become too loose with words when it came to the kid—it was something he was going to have to fix. He watched as her expression switched from angry, to confused, to sullen and then to an emotion he couldn't place. He began to rectify the situation before her words cut him off. "Perhaps I'm more of a monster than even the monsters…"

Sans froze and stared down at the little girl as his brain grasped fruitlessly for a response. What was he supposed to say to that? Here, before him, was a child who had control over the progression of the timelines that held their fate. A child who could, when pushed, commit mass genocide—Chara or not the ability was still there.... Still within her body. She was a child who took down the monarchy on multiple occasions and one who fought the biggest demon amongst them when it had taken all of their souls. By definition alone, Frisk was a monster. She was the biggest abomination of them all and in the hearts and minds of those who claimed to love her rested the fear of the alternative timelines. The fear of genocide that had once been nothing but fleeting nightmares in the back of their minds were confirmed. No amount of love for the little girl could ever take that away he knew that for a fact... But even monsters were children once.

"Nah." She snapped out of her sulking and looked up. "No monster is as small as you." Frisk shot a nasty glare at him before crossing her hands over her chest. He'd take a pout over her previous demeanor any day.  
"Lansot—" The skeleton snorted. "Just got a growth spurt and is taller than you. In a few months, he'll dwarf you yet." If looks could kill he'd be dust. The little girl grumbled as she relaxed her gaze.  
"Height has nothing to do with it and you know it." Crossing her legs the child leaned over to rest her head on the arm rest. "The humans want me to show a glimpse of humanity I don't think I have, Sans. And the monsters want me to show them as I've come to know. As I've come to become. But I'm not a monster, not in terms of being like you or Pap, and honestly I'm not even a human in action anymore. How do I please both sides?" There was a silence that fell around the room and she began to allow her confidence to flee.

For a moment, he did feel the need to comfort the child. It was a response that was to be expected. But it was also a response that would do them no good in the end. Frisk wasn't a child who gave up. She wasn't a little girl who laid down and took what the world handed to her. And he refused to let her fall into a pit of self-wallowing, not now. Just as the words had all but escaped her, he spoke up with a hard edge to his tone.  
"I thought you said you remembered who you are." Frisk froze up as the lights dimmed in eye sockets of the skeleton but she answered none the less.  
"I do remember who I am." A mocking sound left him.  
"No you don't." She sat up straight as Sans stuck his face in hers and sneered at her in what she could only pinpoint as disgust and disappointment.

"You're the brat that saved our ungrateful hides." Frisk couldn't help but to blink as he skillfully threw her words back into her face. "You're the brat who can reset the universe at the gesture of a prompt. You're the brat who is next in line to lead us all when your adoptive parents step down." Pointing his index phalanges at her chest, he jabbed her. "You're the brat who is the ambassador of us all, like it or not." And there it is. With each taunt he could practically taste her self-wallowing shift into a spring of determination as she narrowed her eyes.

"I am not a brat…" It seeped into her tone, her posture and for a split second he couldn't help the feeling that passed through him at the glimpse of her old self breaking through.  
"You don't know who you are—" She snatched his collar, a habit he wished she would break, and brought his face to hers. He was definitely going to talk to her about her mishandling of his poor hoodie. Her eyes drowned in the determination that flooded them and the lights returned to his eyes. Staring him down she spoke confidently.

"I am Frisk Dreemurr, daughter of Asgore Dreemurr and Toriel Dreemurr. I am all of those things and more." There it was.  
"And to which side do you intend to please? The humans? The monsters?" For a moment, Sans expected hesitation to come before her answer. He couldn't have Frisk going soft, not when she was possibly going to face one of her biggest adversaries on her own. But despite her inner desire to please everyone, she didn't answer in kind.  
"The only one agenda I intend to please is my own."

His eyes softened instantly and with it she released his collar. That. That was his kid. Sans placed a hand upon her head and ruffled her hair in amusement and pride. If the kid played the side of the humans they would all see war and if she played the side of monsters it would come later rather than sooner. No, she needed to approach this the same way she approached every adversary in the underground—her own way. She relished in the comfort of his approval before sighing softly.

"When we're done here we have to talk about you're parenting approach. Bringing your child into a tantrum to make a point isn't always going to work, bone head..." A soft laughter left him.  
"Hey it's worked so far." Huffing, Frisk moved to play with her tie as she attempted to soothe her nerves. She would need them calm considering what was about to happen.  
"Now look... You made me all jittery..." Sans' grin grew but he said nothing in return. She became curious as to why he didn't verbally speak but before she could ask, she watched him place a finger to his mouth signaling her to be silent before grabbing her hand and pulling her up. Frisk wasn't sure what happened or how it happened but one minute he was there grinning at her and the next gone.

The door opened without hesitation and as it did she quickly took note of an added weight upon her shoulders. It was a weight of familiarity, security and comfort. With her previous escort in front of him, Monsieur Aimé walked in with a smile upon his face and a soft chuckle behind his words.  
"Ah, forgive my tardiness little one, I—" He stopped as he and his assistant took the sight of the child ambassador standing before them in a carefully crafted black suit with tie….

And a blue hoodie with a fur collar around their shoulders.

Frisk turned her head as she became aware of the new presence and smiled softly. "Worry not, Monsieur Aimé..." She secured the hoodie around her shoulders as she approached the two men with her head held high and held on to the feeling of determination that surged through her. "Shall we?" Monsieur Aimé returned the smile in slight confusion yet, he didn't dare comment on the additional clothing article. There was something in the back of his mind that told him if he didn't want a bad time he'd mind his manners around the child...

Least he deal with the wrath of the hoodie's true owner.


	5. Strangeness and Charm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so a actually note here.  
> Changed around some issues in previous chapters (grammar, sentences that just didn't flow, my need to use however over and over and over and--) and redid the summary.
> 
> I don't know I just never liked it. But thank you to the subscribers, my lurkers and my stalkers for following this.This will eventually turn into a M rated fan fiction. Why?
> 
> Shit that would be telling.

Monsieur Aimé was a old man. He had lived through his time on the earth never taking anything for granted and living with the knowledge that just when you thought things were safe there would be a possibility of havoc somewhere. Usually when the storm came to disrupt the calm there was a key factor in its cause. For many of his fellow leaders, they were be quick to state that the monsters were the cause for the chaos that was beginning to grow. They were easy scapegoats, surprisingly innocent and naive when it came to the way things were run on the surface. To most people it only made sense that these beings that differed so were the reason for rise of discontent. But Aimé knew better. Aimé knew where the true source came from and it stood behind him as he lead her to his office.

Many of the men around him dismissed the girl as a mere puppet for the king and queen of the monsters--a marionette to distract them. But the more Frisk spoke, the more she moved before them and the subtle ways in which she halted the monsters when meetings grew tense allowed him to see all that he needed to. She may not have been old enough just yet to take over for the two goat monsters that headed the race, but there was little doubt in his mind that when she was she would be a force the other's would regret looking over. And that is why he brought her to his home. That was why it was so important to make sure his people had a strong alliance with the child and the people she would lead. If she was a well of determination now he could only shudder at how she would become when she was fully grown and accustomed to her seat of power. She would be a strong ally indeed but she wasn't there yet. Not yet.

In Frisk's eyes, Aimé was someone she didn't mind. He reminded her of a grandfather figure even though he didn't try to be. There was something about the man that just caused her to feel comfortable in his presence but she guarded that feeling wisely. The way the man moved, his smile and his mannerisms, both in her presence now and in the previous meetings, had not gone unnoticed by her. He always seemed to be the one figure who didn't seek to fight her. He asked. He pondered and he hypothesized situations that where scenarios both sides needed to worry about but he never put blame towards her or her family. And for that she found herself thankful. That feeling wasn't a trump card for him though. After all, she was still trying to figure out if she was present on order to solidify their positions as friends or foes. Once they both took their seats, the little girl crossed her legs and looked towards Aimé as he spoke.

"I have a niece about your age and height. Every time I look at you I attempt to place her in your shoes and yet, I fail every time. For a someone your age, you are absolute when it comes to your actions and words. No child I have ever met could ever survive the hell that you have gone through." He didn't even know that half of it. It was a thought that struck the both of them but they didn't linger. "I can't believe all that you have been through. That you made it through the underground with acts of mercy towards all those who have attacked you. Any other man would have slain those who raised their hands against them in an act of self-defense and thought nothing more of it."

But she wasn't simply another man. It was a thought that was on the tip of her tongue but she chose to allow Aimé to finish. One thing Sans made sure she understood was that speaking to these men, whether they decided they wanted to work together with monsters or not, was like a game of cards. If she continued to bluff at the right moments, Frisk would make it a lot further than if she immediately gave up her hand. She continued to stare in to the leader before her as she kept her face ever neutral.

"But acts of mercy only go so far in our word to day, I am afraid. You are playing a game that requires you to know the rules and for too long you have blindly made your way through. That's the thing with luck though, eventually it will run out. When it does you will have nothing to fall back too and your attempts at peace would have been for naught. If you do not learn properly soon, I am afraid you will fail before you even begin to take a proper place with the other leaders." She narrowed her eyes but the poker face stayed in tack as Aimé continued on.

"Tell me, Frisk. What do you know about these aristocrats you are attempting to march with? How well do you understand those with the rich in their pockets--men they tempt with lies to gain their way? It's not a matter of what's right or wrong in this world surely you understand that by now. It's about what can be gain and what can be lost. Right now, your monsters are considered not only a problem but a nuisance because not only do we have to make a place for them in this world but we have to conform on each side to the change. But humans are not creatures who take change lightly and these men you join would rather see you dead than deal with these issues head on. Because once you are dead they can rile the people up. Once you are dead, they can go to war and eliminate the threat."

The look on her face never faltered not even when he spoke of her own death. If anything, Aimé could have mentioned the weather and received the same expression from her. He understood that Frisk had faced her morality multiples times in Ebott. He also, however, understood that there was something more to it.

"I am not afraid of death, Monsieur Aimé." A soft chuckle fell from him.  
"Nor should you be at this point. But such a thing would not only be your death but the death of your monsters as well. Your ignorance, even if easily fix, will be the death of not only you but those you hold dear."

Furrowing her brow, Frisk allowed slight worry to overcome her. She knew that—how could she not? Here she was a playing with seasonal players scrambling in the dark and praying to win. It wasn't like when she first left the underground. Now she couldn't just up and throw herself over a cliff anymore (in spite of the wish to at times). Sans had made sure that she stuck around to assume the role she had taken and he was going to make sure she stayed in it. There was no going back now and if she was going to succeed she was going to have to learn. Looking up, and in spite of her worries internally, Frisk scowled deeply.

“Is there a reason you have called me here, Monsieur? I am more than aware of my shortcomings and I didn't need to travel all this way to be told what I already know.” In the face of her aggravation the man gave a apologetic smile.  
“My apologies. It wasn’t my intention to pick at your downfalls. I merely intended to state facts to make my proposal stronger.” Frisk relaxed her expression and raised a eyebrow.  
“Your proposal?”   
Monsieur Aimé nodded. "I'm an old man, Frisk. The exploits of the youth mean nothing to me in truth. I have all the fortunes my heart desires and I don't need anything more to make my people happy. However, if you are overcome by the others my people will surely suffer the effects of it as well and it isn't something I'm willing to accept laying down." Folding his hands in his lap he leaned into the cushions of the seat.

“You attend a normal school when there is a target on your head. You walk with an air of ignorance in foreign streets when you know others are looking for an excuse to diminish your reputation. The mistakes you make show your inexperience and we need to fix them before the next gathering. The first few were merely a standard formality to introduce all parties to each other. The questions you received there were nothing compared to what you will endure next time. I am offering the chance for you to learn properly so that you know exactly how to handle these men from now on. I will see to your education, the upbringing of your mannerism and the teachings of politics that you must understand." There was relief that passed through her when she realized that Aime indeed wished for a alliance but she wouldn’t show it until terms were met. Frisk pushed forward.

“...Nothing in this world comes from just good will. What do you want in exchange…?"  
"For all intents and purposes, as the adopted daughter of the reigning monarch you are the princess of the monsters." The thought made her frown slightly but she nodded for him to continue. "In the event of a war, I wish for my deeds to not go unpunished and my people to remain safe from its effects your side may cause to the best of your abilities." And there it was. His request wasn't unreasonable in the slightest and actually it was almost a light one considering what he offered to give her in return. And yet she knew if she didn't state her own clause there would be a loophole for her own people to be unprotected in this arrangement.

"Then in kind I expect your people's support if it does come to that. Whatever able body soldier you can spare will aid us in our time of need. But that won't be enough. I also want to make sure that this includes food and other things we shall need if the monsters do find themselves marching against other humans. We will make sure that we give the same to you also." She would not accept terms without her own; he liked that. The girl would be a quick learner. He held his hand out and smiled.  
"You have my word. I will have my assistant draw up formal paperwork, have it certified and by the end of this week it will be official with our signatures."

Frisk did not reach out immediately to take his hand, instead the child went silent and merely stared up at him. He wondered truly if she would take it at all. Following more silence, he then began to wonder if something was amiss. However when she finally did take his hand, he found his smile wavering as she stared up at him with void eyes crimson eyes.

“I may be ignorant, Monsieur Aimé… But I am also very well protected. Every monster that tried to kill me in the underground is now at my side. They are now my family and you know from history how monsters treat those who are family. We fight for each other. We'd die for each other. There is little to nothing we would do to make sure that those we love succeed and live happily. This goes double for my parents and those under them. If you at any time fail to keep your promise to me if war does come, we will hunt you down. I have learned first hand that the world isn't as big as we might think. There will be no where you can hide if you go back on your word. It would do you well to remember these words because of it does come to that, for the first time in my life I will not show mercy."

Her grip became tight and tighter with every word she spoke and for a second the man felt... Worry? Fear? He wasn't sure. But what he was sure about was the fact that he had made the right choice in choosing to setup a allegiance with the girl before him. They sat in a tense silence as gripped each other's hands before she released him and smiled for the first time since the meeting began. With the right education, this child could be a threat yet.

"Of course, Frisk." The chime of his clock caught both of their attentions and the old man rose before brushing off his suit. "My how time flies! I did promise this wouldn't take more than a few hours and now look. I nearly robbed you of your day." Frisk chuckled a little bit and rose herself. "Come, I will walk you back to your ride." Moving from around the desk the man move to walk to the door before stopping short.

"There is one question I do have." Frisk cocked her head to the side and hummed in confusion. Turning to her, the man held a playful glimmer in his eye.  
"Just why are you wearing that hoodie over your suit?" Unable to help it, the little girl lost herself to her giggles. It took her a moment to gain herself but when she did she wiped her eye and grinned widely.  
"You know how dogs are, Monsieur."  
  
"Dogs?" Walking up to his side she nodded.  
  
"They are never happy until they mark what is theirs." Politely, he chuckled and accepted the answer but in truth he was only given more questions than he was answers.

Patience was his strong suit but today it was a virtue he found himself lacking. The skeleton waited outside of the property leaning against the limo as he stared up at the sky with his turtleneck pulled up to his jaw. The driver was not amused at his abrupt appearance. To be fair most weren't, Frisk included, when he decided to pop up out of thin air. But one short look from the skeleton caused him to keep silent about his ire. He didn't need to wait in the room, he knew if the kid needed him she would give a shout. Nevertheless, that was three hours ago and he couldn't help but feel anxious as time rolled on. If that human laid a hand on her… Sans ran a hand over his skull and leaned further against the car. Boy, he had it bad.

It was sometime between watching her fall backwards and saving her that Sans realized just how important Frisk was to him. If she would have died, if he hadn't been able to catch her, he would have never forgiven himself. There was a part him that would always hate her, yes, but his adoration for he would always win out in the end. If she would have died that night, he would have lived on for Papyrus but his smile would have been even more hallow. And he was sure the moment he felt his brother could stand alone, if ever the moment arrived, he would have disappeared. And he would have done the same to Frisk if Papyrus would have died, if not worse. And yet besides being on par with his feelings for Papyrus there was something more when it came to his complicated connection to the little girl.

Though he cracked jokes and teased her about it, Frisk was small, unusually so compared to the other children. Even with Toriel and Asgore nurturing her, he knew very well that the child who over flooded with determination could very well be killed if someone such as Undyne so much as threw a spear and caught them off guard. There was a protectiveness and a possessiveness that grew every time he was with the kid. Just like his past sins, just like his brother and all his 'greatness', just like the memories of someone long forgotten… Frisk was simply his. There was no label to put to it, it just was what it was and just as much as she was his; he was hers.

And Sans was sure that he should have been more frightened about that than he actually was.

The chain of thought was broken as the front doors of the mansion flung open. Stepping out with Monsieur Aimé at her side, Frisk stopped just before the limo and turned.  
"I will see you Monday then, Monsieur."  
"Quite. Know that the documents will be delivered to your place of residence first thing Saturday morning. Read over them carefully." Documents? Sans turned his eyes towards Frisk but his questioning was stopped as the human male turned his attention to him.  
"Oh, I thought you came alone, little one…" Before Frisk could speak, Sans intervened. 

"She did. I came to make sure she returned in one piece." He placed his hands in his pants pockets and winked. "Worlds a dangerous place after all…" His tone was light but the old man didn't miss the double meaning. Nor did it take him too long to guess that the hoodie that rested upon her shoulders belonged to the skeleton before him. Or should he say 'dog' before him? Ever polite, the man extended a smile towards him.  
"Ah, I see. Well, we can never be too careful I suppose in today's world."

Frisk moved to Sans and grunted as he placed a hand upon her head. She made a face of absolute disdain when she felt his fingers ruffle her hair. Was that truly necessary? In her mind, she questioned if he as counting the hairs on her head. Honestly, as meticulous as Sans was, she truly wouldn't be surprised. Her suspicions were further confirmed when she looked up and quickly noted that the skeleton had yet to look at her as he sized up the man. He never took his eyes off of Monsieur Aimé while he responded allowing his light tone to darken through out.

"You're right…" The lights dimmed and by the time he spoke his final words he was sure he had scared the faith of the lord into the human before him. "After all, the world sure does hold its fair share of _monsters_ …" The light within returned as he turned back to Frisk, opening the door so that she could get in. Frisk waved goodbye to the older man and soon found herself tucked in the vehicle staring down, in her opinion, the hardest challenge the underground had ever presented to her. "Documents?"

...This was going to be a long ride home.

A long, long ride…


	6. Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm probably going to switch artist and songs for the title of each chapter soon.
> 
> Just a heads up~

She didn't say a thing for a good second before nodding.  
"Yea. Documents."  
"You care to elaborate, kid?" Frisk raised a eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. He almost wanted to laugh at the display. Was she attempting to intimidate him? Mockingly, he crossed his own over his chest. For the next 10 minutes the silence was deafening. He had to hand it to her, she did know how to hold her ground as always. But he wasn't in the mood to play. Just as he was going to begin asking he was stopped as the little girl raised her hands and began to sign. It had been a good while since he'd seen her use sign language. So long in fact, that it took him a moment to understand what she was trying to say.

'Not here, not now.' Sans cocked his head but followed her actions as she pointed to where the driver rested. Frowning he release a sound of displeasure. He wanted nothing more than to know what was going on between herself and... what was his name? Aimel? Aimeimei? But this was neither the time nor the place to ask if the information the two shared was sensitive. That didn't mean he was happy about it though. His emotions must have been clear as well as his discomfort that the discussion that the two held meant bad news. His eyes moved back to her hands as she began to sign once again. 'What we talked about wasn't bad, Sans... If anything it's one of the best things that could have happened.' ...Huh. Clumsily, due to a lack of using it, he began to sign back.  
  
'Is it safe to say that we're on the road to seeing him as someone we can rely on?' Frisk smiled and nodded.  
'That but... there is a little bit more to it.' That caught his attention.  
'What do you mean, kid-?' Once more, to his utter annoyance he was cut off. This time, he lacked a proper response for her actions. Without warning, Frisk laid out upon the seat and placed her head down upon his lap. Hands up as if something easily breakable had just fallen into his grasp, the skeleton stared down at her.  
  
"...Frisk?" The child raised her hands for the last time.  
'We'll talk about it later. I promise.' The moment the last word was signed she buried her hands under the safety of his hoodie and pulled up the hood to cover her face. Whatever was proposed during their time at the estate clearly had the kid stress if not tired at the very least. His onslaught of questions wouldn't yield much fruit if anything at the moment. Sans' shoulders relaxed and he dropped one hand to rest besides him on the seat while the other came to rest upon her head.

"You look tired, kid. Bone tired." He could feel her freeze up and from her came a soft laughter. "Just straight up bone wary." Her laughter grew but it was halted by her on coming fatigue.  
"Sans stop."  
"I would sing you to sleep but I'm pretty sure that would make me a kidnapper."  
"Oh my god..."  
  
With one last laugh he patted her head and allowed her to drift. Her tiredness wasn't really a surprise, not when she had spent the previous night doing as much as she could to prepare for today. He had forced her to get a few hours of sleep along with the others but it was clear that it was hardly restful. Just this one time. he would let his obsessive need for answers go and with that resolution, he let her sleep.

Frisk didn't even stir when they arrived back and he found himself unwilling to awake her. It was, perhaps, the first time she had allowed herself to relax since getting the letter and he wasn't so keen on having her glare at him for waking her up. Instead, he carried her in and placed her into bed carefully just as he had for his little brother when he was just a hand full of baby bones. He tossed her shoes to the side and removed her suit jacket but when it came time to take back his hoodie she absolutely refused to release it. At some point he even swore that the little girl growl at him, like he committed some kind of sin in his endeavor to retrieve his hoodie.

It was a lost cause and in the end, he gave up. There wasn't any harm in letting her have it for now, it wasn't like it was going anywhere. Shaking his head at the sight of the kid clutching further to his hoodie he scoffed. He'd just snatch it up in the morning.

"Sans?" Turning towards the door way, the skeleton placed a finger to his teeth before stepping out and leaving the little girl to her dreams. After closing the door, Sans shoved his hands back into his pants pockets, he closed his eyes half way as he greeted the new presence with his usual laziness.  
"Sup Tori?" Toriel looked at him with a mixture of relief, confusion and wariness.  
"Where have you been? We've been looking all over for you." Sans Shrugged.  
"A little bit of everywhere." She frowned before raising an eyebrow. He could keep the meat of the situation to himself but he knew she would know. For someone as perceptive as Toriel, he didn't doubt it in the least. Thus when she began to question him he didn't even try to hide the truth from her.

"Did you follow Frisk?"  
"Yup." Her frown deepened.  
"But didn't Aimé say—"  
"Went anyway." The woman started to argue about how he and Frisk were adamant about the others not coming but he spoke first.  
  
"The whole group is about as sneaky as a bull in a china shop, Tori. There is no way you would have been able to get in and out without being noticed." Her frown deepened.  
"I can't refute that, but it is rather-"  
"Hypocritical, I know. Trust me, the kid let me know it. But something just didn't feel right about letting her go alone. Call it being paranoid or what have you but I find it hard to trust a old man who asks for a little girl to come to his estate alone with no chaperone. Ambassador or not." Toriel folded her arms over her chest.

"I thought we had all settled that Monsieur Aimé was a decent being." Sans turned his full attention on her as he made a point in chuckling.  
"Can't say we're the best authority on the goodness of humans. Don't give me that look, Tori. I'm okay throwing a bone here and there but the request was too out there for me to ignore. Humans are unpredictable on a good day and its hard to always understand their intentions. The good ones are good but the bad ones… Well, we weren't hold up in the underground for centuries because it was cold top side, ya dig?" She wanted nothing more than to disagree but she knew she couldn't in good faith.

"Besides, kid needed someone there. She almost lost her nerve. If she went in trying to make everyone happy like she started too we would be here trying to calm her fears of a new threat rather than trying to simply not wake her." The woman looked down and rubbed her hands together.  
"I worried about that… It seems like the weight of the world rest on her shoulders still when she should be doing nothing more than enjoying her youth." Sans only gave a shrug in response. She was right but if the position wasn't Frisk's to bear than whose would it instead? She gave him a soft smile before sighing.

"I am just glad you are there to watch over her when we cannot. Its hard not being there and shielding the world from her. I know this is apart of what she signed up for the moment she fell into the underground but I don't know what I would do if she loss herself to all of this. Thank you, Sans..." Sans rubbed his vertebrae and did his best to brush off her words.  
"Aw, don't go all sentimental on me Tori." Moving to head down stairs towards the loud voice of his brother, he wave a hand at her. "After all, you're the one who made me promise in the first place."  
  


It was Saturday.

Her meeting had taken place three days ago and she had begun to avoid Sans at all cost. In her heart, she knew it wasn't right especially with little to no reason. It made her look guilty. It made her look suspicious. Without the documents in her hands, without time to read them over herself and make any revisions necessary she left herself open to any criticism he would surely have. Any criticism they would all have really and that would do nothing in the long run but make things complicated. She needed time to plan, time to counter anything that the old Frenchmen set up in just in case. Even if everything had been sectioned out in clauses she wasn't blind. Double meanings were rampant within the contract she was to sign and she sought to turn every single one in her favor. But that took time and time was something one didn't have with a skeleton breathing down their necks.

Thus she avoided him, much to Sans' absolute annoyance, but she had to. If he had a moment alone with her, he would certainly pull all the answers out before she was prepared even if she tried to get him to wait for more concrete ones. It was a bad habit of his, having to be in the know when it came to events involving her life. It had been like that for so long that she understood why it was enough to drive the skeleton up a wall. But whether she understood or not didn't mean she would fold to his tendencies. Over the course of the past few days, she kept a straight poker face and demonstrated that she was just as efficient when it came to dodging social situations as she was attacks. Frisk didn't out right ignore him, of course not. In the company of the others they still joked around and communicated as they normally did. Yet when ever she felt him attempting to approach the subject of her meeting, she would shut the conversation down completely and change the subject entirely.

Sans couldn't say that he didn't find it amusing at first, if not childish, but after a while it began to wear on his nerves. He was still the master of keeping his true emotions under wraps as well as his thoughts all the same and the others were none the wiser. Multiple times he tried and failed to catch Frisk in a moment of solitude at night but she made sure he never could. Every night, she made sure to fall asleep on the couch in Toriel's company so that her mother could bring her to bed. Finding a moment during the day was out of the question. School took up much of her time and she had enlisted Alphys to help her with her homework right when she would get home effectively replacing him as her science tutor. The kid was smart, that much he would hand to her but she couldn't avoid him forever. Yet, he wouldn't have to wait much longer for proper answers.

Saturday came quicker than she expected. Toriel's house was filled with the smells of pie and other foods and she prepared for the arrival of the other guest. It was a holiday among the monsters and they all knew that the celebration would take place nowhere else. To Frisk it was a bit more than a day of celebrating, for she also knew this left her defense weak against a particular intruder. There was no use in trying to get away from it. She had received the documents a day earlier than she had expected, finished her revisions and did her best to prepare herself. She could only put it off just a bit longer. From morning until the time where the other's arrived, held herself up in her room busying herself and preparing the documents for the undeterred skeleton. The moment she felt his presence she didn't even look up from where she sat. She didn't have to ask if he even bothered with pleasantries with the others because she could hear Papyrus down stairs. His brothers company would have forced him to keep up appearances until he found a chance to slip away.

If anyone asked if she was capable of being immature, Frisk would simply smile and continue on. Sans was no stranger to her childishness and wasn't even remotely surprised when the little girl failed to properly acknowledge that he was there. Acting as if nothing changed she continued to sit at her desk, chair facing the wall in front of her as she wrote on. She knew it, that he was certain. But she was waiting for him to make the first move. Frisk smirked slightly. She could play the game of chicken for as long as he wanted. They both knew who would break first. The pricks of lights that normally rested within his eye socket were gone as he allowed his annoyance at her avoidance free. Upon hearing his voice she almost shuddered at the underlying displeasure but she kept her posture.

"...What are you playing at, Frisk?" To be fair, she did almost turned and moved to show him everything. But her need to poke the bear just a little bit longer won out in the end. Humming absentmindedly, she responded.  
"I don't know what you're talking about, Sans." One moment her seat was facing her desk as she wrote and the next she was turned towards him. Her eyes followed the length of his arm up to his eyes and despite his eternal grin she could sense a bit of a sneer upon his features. She would never get used to how Sans' looked with blacked out eyes...  
"I thought you learned a long time ago that I don't like playing games, kid." She blinked.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
"You've been going out of your way to avoid me. To avoid talking about what happen at the estate. Seriously kid, I was thought we were past this shit." This... went past the simple sharing of the documents and it was something she hadn't accounted for. At first she thought she would simply aggravate him before letting him know what was up but now she found herself simply confused.  
"What are you talking about, Sans—?"

"This hero shit, Frisk." She winced a bit at his tone. "You always pull this act when your about to do something stupid. Whether its taking on the monarchy by yourself, the world leaders..." Or throwing herself off a cliff. She winced visibly at the words unspoken and looked down at her hands. Did he really think she was going to do something... like that again? Even if not to that degree, something stupid? That she was going to keep him out of what ever was going on?

"…Aren't you the one who told me I need to start acting more like a kid?" He didn't respond nor did the lights return in his eye sockets but she knew she had his attention. Rubbing her arm, nervously she continued. "I was just messing around... I know I have to tell you all what happened. What do you think I've been doing? I couldn't just hand the stuff over to you and go 'I'm doing this.' without making sure everything was accounted for."

"Why not?" Turning a indignant look to him, she grumbled.  
"I don't like being interrogated and grilled, _judge._ I just wanted to keep everything under wraps until I have it together. And no, that is not something I could have done while keeping you in the loop. Ever since I've left his manor being near you…" She rubbed her arm. "It's been suffocating… Nothing bad happened there, it wasn't as if I was keeping a matter of life and death from you, Sans..." Her face damn near killed him and he couldn't help the guilt that rose up when she spoke.

In some regards, Sans held Frisk and Papyrus and equal footing. Not on everything, mind you, but on most things. Nevertheless, he often forgot he couldn't act in kind as he did with Papyrus towards her. Papyrus was open to sharing even his darkest secrets to him. Frisk held them close. Papyrus always came to him when there was a problem. Frisk made sure it was a real problem before even thinking to call for help. Often this ended in tension between himself and Frisk and he knew this was one of those times. The lights returned to his eyes and he pulled his arm back from her chair as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I wish you would have more faith in me, Sans. I'm not stupid, you know..." He found himself standing in front of her sheepishly as he rubbed his vertebrae.  
"Ain't trying to smother you, kid..." She gave him a wary smile.  
"I know. In a way I'm a bit grateful I guess. It keeps me focus. For someone so lazy, you really do know when there is a time and a place." Frisk paused and corrected herself. "You know besides promising Toriel you'd protect me and then letting me do my own thing."

"Well, you didn't die. Permanently at least." Frisk's infamous deadpanned expression returned just for a moment.  
"Haha, cute." Winking, he chuckled.  
"I'm adorable." Frisk snickered before sighing. Sans did not miss the change in her expression as her face fell and he quickly found himself growing curious if not worried. Like a fish, her mouth opened and closed before the words fell out.  
  
"I'm dropping out of school." His attention snapped back to her immediately. What was that about not being stupid? "Monsieur Aimé has made me realize I can never learn what I need to learning there. You guys can teach me math, history of monsters and how to be brave... But you can't teach me how to be a good leader. How to be a proper leader." He narrowed his eyes.  
"Asgore-..."  
  
"I love him... I love Tori; but he and Toriel are bad, no, horrendous leaders. Toriel has claimed over and over again that Asgore could have released you all with one soul yet he didn't. I, myself, slightly doubt that but I am no stranger to how my dad fights with himself. And if Toriel knew this she should have rose to help you all and she didn't. Instead of rising to the plate, she hid herself in the ruins turning her backs to those who relied on her. They are not weak in strength but in will and that doesn't work in this world... We're not in the underground any more Sans."

Pulling out a stack of papers, she gestured for him to come read. He leaned over her and began to go through the papers as she spoke. "Aimé changed a few things. I will stay there seven days a week. Eight in the morning till eight at night I will be taught on the proper way to handle myself. This is to make sure I remain immersed in what I am learning. On the weekends, I will be escorted back and forth and he will see to my safety in the trips to and from home." He read on, his eyes darting from one line to another. Yet when he hit one line he looked up in irritation.  
  
"He's using you as a safe card in case of war..." Smiling, she gestured to the paper.  
"As am I; keep reading. I made him note that in case of war he would help us as much as he could. Rations, soldiers; the whole shebang. He just sent this today but I've read over it twelve times. Besides having Undyne look over security for my own peace mind, everything seems okay." His grin faulted just a bit but he did as he was told. Though he read over things only once, Frisk knew Sans was absorbing every little word. Once he was finished, the skeleton lost himself to his thoughts before speaking.

"You've been doing fine so far. You really think all this is really necessary? Truth be told, I don't get all these formalities kid." Frisk smiled and leaned back.  
"And that's exactly why I wasn't allowed to die, huh?" He looked at her but said nothing. It was... Selfish. But the both of them knew the loved the skeleton felt for the little girl who was now apart of his family wasn't the only reason he had dived to save her. It may not have been in the forefront of his mind then, but with out her they both knew the monsters would perish. "I was so sure that you could have done everything I could have done if I would have died but you are still just a monster, knowledge of the timelines or not. In the human world, you couldn't play their games..." Waving her hand in front of her face she dismissed her previous words.

"No, not couldn't... **Wouldn't.** It's not your way is it Sans...? Heck, you didn't even attack me until I murdered Papyrus. Not when I killed the others. Not when the Flowey attacked you all." She closed her eyes. "I get it now. It's more than just stopping the resets, huh? It's about making sure this timeline doesn't end up going under. There is a lot I still have to learn Sans but I don't think the lessons Aimé will teach me are lessons you all have ever encountered." For the longest time, he remained quiet and allowed himself to look over the papers once more.

"Toriel is not going to be happy with this, Frisk. Neither will Asgore. Getting them to agree to allowing you to meet him alone was a fight and a half on its own." She stood up and straightened out her sweater.  
"Tis the price we pay for freedom. What they like and what they don't like really doesn't matter as long as this helps us in the long run. They'll get over it." A soft chuckle left him as he set the papers down.

  
"You sound like an old man." Grinning she reached over and took his hand causing him to look at her.  
"Takes an old man to know an old man." He covered his chest where a heart would have rested.  
"Right to the heart."  
"I know, need some ice for that burn?" She laughed gently as her hair was ruffled and found herself being pulled towards the door.  
  
"Let's get this over with." Frisk gave no response before grabbing the documents and allowed herself to be brought down stairs.

If she was to admit her true feelings she would allow them to know how scared she was still of the unknown. His previous words boosted her confidence however she didn't know what the future held. Regardless, she was happy to know she would forever have the support of one punny skeleton.

Throughout the entire celebration, Frisk did her best to keep up appearances however she did find herself more quiet than usual. She was happy merely watching her family knowing that for sometime she wouldn't be able to enjoy them like this. She found herself thinking about what it would be like to live in the Frenchman's estate. Did they celebrate holidays actively themselves? Would she be allowed to join? Her family? Would the others who resided there take kind to her presence? That last question was a bit redundant and she knew it. Even when she was walking through upon her first visit she could hear the unsettled grumblings of some of the staff. She could only hope that they would get over themselves before she arrived. Frisk didn't take enough care in hiding her inner introspection as Toriel turned to her and called out her name.  
  
"Frisk?" She looked up with a smile but Toriel wasn't convinced. "What's wrong, child? You haven't spoken too much since you came down for dinner. Are feeling fine?"  
"I'm fine, mum. I've just been taking in everything." It was with that sentence that Frisk knew things were going to become...Complicated.  
"Taking in everything?" Her smile fell and everyone's attention turned to her.  
"It's time we talk about what happen when I went to meet with Aimé." She had to go about this smartly, she couldn't afford to have them freak out about her being gone. "…Mum, dad, have you thought of making allies?" They raised an eyebrow and she almost had to ignore the sound of Sans' grin growing.

"Allies?" The little girl nodded.  
"We have no connections to the human world besides myself. No real places our people could go and be truly safe. Do you realize how dangerous that is?" The thought began to sink in for them both and they exchanged glances.  
"It is… a troubling matter." Asgore conceded but Toriel was quick to brush the concern away. "But we have just made our way topside, Frisk. These things take time." A frown fell upon Frisk' face.  
"Time isn't something we have, mum. You all were present with the council. You see how things can go from calm to heated quickly. However, I have a solution to that problem." Looking up, she locked eyes with Asgore catching him off guard. "Aimé wishes to have an allegiance placed between monsters and the humans under his charge. This means if we are ever in trouble we get their help and vice versa." Toriel narrowed her eyes as a frown slowly crept upon her face.  
  
"And what's the catch…?" She turned her eyes towards her mother.  
"When it comes to other heads of state, I am just a brat trying to play their game. Aimé suggested that I learn how to become a true, as he called it, 'aristocrat'…" Toriel huffed.  
"Ridiculous, you—"  
"Are considered the ambassador of monsters, the child who set you all free and someone who is a threat. Your magic can't cure the problems we have up here, mum. You can't scare them like when you tried to scare me to stay in the Ruins. That will end in us running with our tails in between our legs back to the underground." She had visibly caught her mother off guard and she knew in that moment she would have to keep it up to win this.

"If we talk to him—"  
"He'll let you know exactly the same thing he told me."  
"But how will you have enough time for school if you take up more things to the side?" Frisk fidgeted and looked to Sans. He didn't try to return the look but she could see that jerk's smile growing just a bit. Stupid, useless skeleton.

"…I won't have time. That's why he suggested taking over my schooling." If it could, Toriel's head would undoubtedly explode but it didn't deter Frisk. "I need to learn human things, mum. I need to learn things you can't teach me. You don't know how these men work but he does. He knows how to establish a place for our people. He knows how to deal with the daily issues that pop up in human politics. He is the only one that can teach me. I need to submerge myself in these things. If I don't we won't last and trouble will find us." Turning lazy eyes towards Toriel and Sans finally opened his mouth.

"She has a point Tori. You and fluffybuns can't teach Frisk everything about this world when your still learning yourselves and expect her to succeed. You gotta let her grow." For once, Frisk was very thankful for Sans' intrusion but Toriel was still not convinced.  
"I just don't understand why she can't learn what she needs to in school. Surely, it would be better for her." Rolling his eyes, Sans shook his head.  
"You're attachment is stopping you from seeing what is really needed Tori. We are monsters, not humans. Like I said, we can't teach anyone when we are just learning ourselves." Toriel fell silent and in that time Frisk pulled out the paperwork that had been sitting on her lap throughout the dinner.

"In exchange for teaching me, I promise that he will have the assistance of the Royal Guard if we ever end up in a war." She could see Undyne perk up. "And likewise we will have the assistance of his men too. Undyne is strong but if it came to blows with an army of humans she'd be overwhelmed." Undyne scowled and jumped up.  
  
"Speak for yourself kid! I—" A deep gruff cut her off.  
"You would fight until you are dead then leave us a commander less army. Your brash mannerism served us well in the underground but how will humans view it? How will you clear your view in their eyes if their view of you is merely that of a monster of violence?" All eyes turned to Asgore as the king spoke up. "I am hesitant to say it but I agree with our daughter, Toriel. This is a good idea and it would be our first real root within this world." He looked towards his daughter and smiled sadly if not supportively. "Not to mention I do believe Frisk's mind is made up…" Smiling softly, Frisk nodded.

"Yes, but I do want to change somethings. I want Undyne to have some hand in the security. It's more for my peace of mind then from distrust of Aimé." Undyne huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.  
"I don't see why we need any dumb allegiances anyway…" Asgore narrowed his eyes at her as Frisk rolled her own.  
"Undyne…" Scoffing, the fish woman threw her hands up and snarled.  
"Fine! When you go I'll tag along to make sure none of this falls to shit." Pumped up, Papyrus gave a grin to his closest friends.  
"I TOO WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE HUMAN IS SAFE! WORRY NOT! I BELIEVE YOU WILL SUCCEED IN ANYTHING YOU PUT YOU'RE MIND TO, HUMAN!"

Frisk smiled and lowered her head thankfully. "Thank you." Turning her eyes towards Toriel, she stood before going towards her mother's seat. She could see the queen looking for any excuse to deny her request to follow through with the plan and she simply couldn't allow it. She had worked to hard, done too much and given up too many nights in order to make sure that this all worked out. Her mother's stubbornness would not be the thing that stopped her from succeeding. Her brow furrowed and internally she scolded herself for the actions she was about to display. She didn't like exploiting her mother's love for her… But for this opportunity it was one of the rare times she wasn't afraid to use it to her advantage. Kneeling before the woman, she rested her head on her lap gaining her full attention.

"Believe in me, mama… Please?" Sans was not oblivious towards what Frisk was doing. He narrowed his eyes as he watched the scene play out forced himself to remain quiet.. Sometimes he forgot how well she could work honeyed words in her favor. No... He didn't forget. He ignored it. As a mother, Toriel wanted nothing more than for her child to succeed and despite her own admissions she wouldn't stand in the way of that. No amount of frustration or stubbornness she felt could over come that and that was what the child was betting on in order to win her consent. He forced the budding feelings of will will towards Frisk's mannerisms to flee as he watched Toriel hug her close and hesitantly agree. As long as it was all done for the good of their kind, he would turn a blind eye to it this time but the look he exchanged with Frisk let her know he still wasn't happy about it.

There was little he would say about it though as the other's rushed forward with their questions and concerns about the arrangement. After all he wasn't without his own sin from time to time. The rest of the evening was sobering but peaceful. They went over the plan in detail, spoke of their worries of Frisk being away with a stranger and how to handle the matter of security. Talk of the plans faded off as the night found the rag tag crew spread out around Toriel's home. With the kid leaning on one arm and his brother's head resting in his lap he wondered if it would be one of many sleepless nights by his lonesome. But it wasn't a nightmare that kept him up but rather his thoughts of the upcoming change. No doubt he was having his own fears when it came to handing over the ambassador to the human who sought to be their ally. It was like Frisk said though, twas the price of freedom. Looking around the room, he wondered if he was the only one up still. He got his answer as he looked down to a pair of crimson eyes.

"Sans."  
"You should be asleep kid." A small smile came over her.  
"Hello pot, meet kettle." Chuckling besides himself the skeleton closed his eyes.  
  
"Now that's just insensitive. I just had to say goodbye to the water in my kettle too." Frisk narrowed her eyes but relented.  
"Oh really...?"  
"Yup. It will be mist."  
  
Groaning, Frisk began to get up and move away from him in disdain only to be pulled back down as he laughed.  
"That was bad. So bad. I revoke your right to pun." Opening his eyes back up he grinned wider.  
"Come on now, it served its purpose." She rolled her eyes.  
"What purpose was that? Making me groan?" Once again he chuckled.  
"Nah, it wiped that look of sadness from your face." Taken aback, Frisk merely stared at him before once more wrapping her arms around his own. He knew that look she gave when he looked down at her previously. She might not have been sleeping when he looked down but she was before and what ever thought woke her up wasn't a good one. In a effort to keep things light, he joked lightly.

"Come one, tell your old Dunkle Sans whats up." At first he expect her to sass him back but the lack of it was more concerning than if she would have. Frisk hesitated for a solid moment before speaking up slowly.  
"I remember..." He stared down at her and waited for her to finish but all she did was repeat herself. "I remember." Well that was... Insightful.  
"Another a nightmare kid?" He watched her eyes soften and she shook her head.  
"I think... I remembered something about my life. Before I fell I think. Something I did...?" Sans remained quiet as she collected her thoughts.

"There was a girl. She was crying over... I can't remember but whatever it was it was bad. At some point she even started throwing things but she couldn't stay angry... She was just so sad..." Sitting up, Frisk removed her arms from his and rubbed her face. Her other hand soon came up to brush her hair from her eyes. "I think it was me. She looked like me but she was... Different." He hesitated to speak but when she didn't continue he did.  
"Anything about where you came from stuck out?"  
"Not really... There was another there. A woman. Her face is lost to me..." Her next words came out in a whisper. "I think it was my mama." His heart bleed for her as she spoke so brokenly but just as he was going to distract her from the thought she spoke again.

"She said something to me. Something I forgot. I could hear her but I just..." She allowed her frustration to grow apparent on her face. "I can't remember what it was but I know what she said. I just know it." Frisk struggled and fought with her thoughts as she did her best to remember exactly the words the woman spoke but when she couldn't she gave up. "She said my name. She said my real name." There was little he could say to that and they both knew it. He never questioned why the kid was name Frisk before. With a name like Comic Sans he was hardly one to talk. But now that she brought it up it made more sense that it wasn't her real name. A nickname perhaps?

"...Don't stress over it kid. Lets just be happy the memories are starting to come back at all. Means the effects of the resets won't stay forever." She nodded and closed her own eyes.  
"I guess... Its just... frustrating." He could understand that. "I'm sure. Just don't let it get to ya. It'll come to you in time." Taking his words in stride she hummed and tired to go to sleep but it was fruitless. When she realized he was awake however it made another inquiry come to mind. Opening her eyes and looking up to the seemingly sleeping skeleton and spoke up.

"Sans, are you happy?" Immediately, the skeleton opened one eye and looked at her. "With how things are now, are you happy?" Slight confusion came over his face but it disappeared as quick as it came.  
"'Course kid. All of this is making everyone happy." Frisk scrunched up her face and frowned. "Don't deflect and don't forget your promise." He closed his eye and shrugged.  
"I've been making a lot of those lately kid. Remind me what I promised?" He knew very well what she was talking about but sought to get a rise out of her. And rise he got as the little girl removed her arms from him and moved to turn his face to her.

"After all of this, after everything I'm doing you better be happy, you ungrateful bag of bones." Once more, he found himself staring at her but this time it ended in laughter. It wasn't a loud boisterous laughter but it was a true laugh. She appreciated being able to pull it out of him seeing as anything other that a short chuckle or a snort was rare. Although, it still aggravated her to no end. "What are you laughing at?" Shaking his head, she watched that eternal grin grow yet again.

"You're a bossy little brat, ain't ya?" He could see the little girl get more and more riled up but before she could say something he held out his pinky. "Make me a promise." For once it was amusing to see the little girl get thrown off.  
"Huh? Me?"  
"What? You expected to be the only one who can make people keep promises?" Pursing her lips together, Frisk raised an eyebrow.  
"What do you want…?" For a moment he thought of answering that question with a pun but the idea fell short.

"Grow strong." It seemed it was her turn to become confused but he didn't allow her a chance to speak before he finished. "Learn what you can from this man. Grow strong and become the leader we need. If you stay determined from here on my happiness is guaranteed." She thought it over and then nodded.

"Okay, but… Why are you holding out your pinky?" Without a word, he took her hand and made her mimic his hand gesture before wrapping their pinkies together. He would have started laughing again at the child as she cocked her head further in confusion, but he kept it to himself. "Sans…?" He winked.  
"This is how monsters make promises kid. Now you gonna keep it or what? Don't leave me hanging." After a second she grinned widely and tightened her hold around his pinky.  
"I'll do my best, I promise." She beamed up at him with determination shining brightly within her eyes. Moving his arm, he wrapped it around her and pulled her closer as he placed his other free hand back upon his brother's skull.

"That's my girl."


	7. Welcome Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I TOOK A HOLIDAY FROM LIFE.  
> To start off the new year here is a chapter to make up for the fact that I've been AWOL for weeks.  
> Now that my fam is gone I can type in peace.
> 
> Thank the blood soaked god. The next chapter is 50% done so either this weekend or Monday look for it. (Ten bucks say I fail to meet my deadline and get this in like Tuesday. WATCH.)
> 
> (Welcome Home by Coheed and Cambria)

It was always hard for her to understand why her classmates would strive to make their parents proud. To her, if one did their best, they were bound to bring their parents honor and make them proud in return. Her peers would say it was always easy for her to say such things. She had saved an entire race from imprisonment. Her family could never be disappointed in her. If only they knew the heights, she attempted to reach in order to keep a certain someone proud of her. Sans' words sounded off in her mind.

 _“Grow strong.”_ That was a give in. Frisk would continue to grow mentally and physically regardless of her promise. In their time on the surface she had already learned so much. _“Learn what you can from this man.”_ At the time she didn’t say a thing, however Frisk was very well aware of the underlying tone. Neither of them was sure of Aimé’s intentions past what was laid out there. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t take advantage of every single thing that was now made available to her. And she intended to reap the rewards.

 _“—Become the leader we need.”_ Frisk did her best to... ignore this part. What did the monsters need from a leader? Someone overtly kind? No, she had seen what happened when Toriel was placed in the position of power. Then someone ruthless? Again, that wasn’t the answer. For Asgore showed those children no mercy and still got nowhere. She pressed her head back against the seat of the limousine and sighed. Sans’ past words continued to sound off in her mind. _“And which side do you intend to please?”_ Her answer hadn’t changed, Frisk intended to solve every issue that came up her own way in order to fulfill her own will. But it was easier for her to announce that in the moment than in front of those who wished for her to answer in their favor.

But she would do her damn best to remain true to that regardless. Frisk promised herself that no matter that went on in the manor she would prevail. She promised herself that she wouldn't let Sans down, not again. He was doing his best to keep his promise to be happy. If he could do that, it was the least she could do to return the gesture.

That Monday, her entire family escorted her to the Aimé manor unwilling to let her simply leave. Toriel wanted to see the man who would look after her little one. She was determined to make sure that he knew the consequences of failing her and Asgore felt the same. The king dressed in his royal attire unwilling to face Aimé under dressed. Undyne decided to tag along too, after the changes of the contract were accepted, in order to start her inspection on their security. Without a doubt, the fish woman could be just a goofy as Papyrus at times, but there was a reason why she was considered the fiercest warrior the underground produced. Regardless, Alphys was still present to make sure her wife didn't get out of hand. But even as they all sat together within the limo that was sent to retrieve them, no one spoke. The mood was somber as the others realized that, although they would still see her, Frisk's presence would be scarce.

The little girl sat in between Sans and Papyrus with her hand in Pap's and her head resting upon Sans' shoulder. Papyrus was more than upset when he realized that his favorite human would be gone. He made a point in asking her more than once if she would come visit but after promising to have a cooking lesson with him once a week his sorrow was fleeting. Amusingly enough, he seemed to wish her gone just a little bit in order for their lessons to begin quicker. Alphys had given her a magnitude of manga books to keep her busy and even made her promise to finish one through ten of the volumes so that they could watch the anime together when she returned.

Her parents kept shooting her worrying looks that also held feelings of pride. Their need to bring her back home and call this off was at conflict with the fact that this was her duty regardless of her age. The only ones who weren't affected were Undyne and Sans. Undyne would frequent the manor almost daily to make sure security was to her liking even though the little girl told her it wasn't necessary. The ex-royal guard insisted that she rather be over prepared than risk being unprepared if there an attack.

And Sans? Sans was Sans. Even if the others told him not to come visit her, even if they told him she needed to do this by herself, there was no stopping a monster who could transverse space to appear and disappear at will. Besides… Even if she could stop him, she didn't want too. Sans was her pillar of strength at times and she knew that if anything was to go down at least she would have his support. The thought of having her ‘dog’ by her side filled her with the determination she needed to push on.

"Frisk?" The little girl looked up to her mother as the goat woman called for her attention. "Keep your cell phone on you at all times alright?" Ah, here they go.

"Alright mama."  
"Make sure you call home every morning and before you go to bed."  
"Alright mama."  
"If anything happens make sure you let me know immediately."  
Frisk smiled softly. "Alright mama."  
"And—" A snort from Sans interrupted Toriel’s babbling and he ruffled the little girl’s hair.

"Tori relax. You're more worried than the kid is. Nothing is going to go wrong and besides if it does its Undyne's fault."  
Turning to Sans sharply, the fish woman snarled. "Excuse me?! Why is it my fault?!" The skeleton winked at her and Papyrus narrowed his eyes.  
“SANS…"  
Sans shrugged. "Well it's a new place not to mention a new environment. You have to learn the rules to this new game Undyne. After all…" Pap could smell the set up a mile away but Sans wasn’t deterred.

"SANS, DON'T YOU EVEN FINISH THAT SENTENCE!" The skeleton closed his eyes.  
"We'd understand if you felt like a fish out of water."

**"SANS!"**

The collective groan was accompanied by snickering and snorts by Frisk and Toriel. Reaching up, the little girl pulled his hood over his face with a bright grin as Papyrus reminded him of how much of a bad influence, he was becoming to Frisk.

The somber mood lightened up quickly and when the group arrived, they all went their separate ways. Toriel and Asgore were whisked away by Aimé so that they could speak in private. Undyne damn near demanded to see the head of security to challenge them in order to test their worth. Alphys and Papyrus both shared looks of concern before quickly following behind the red-haired woman. No doubt they would have to do some damage control in her wake. In the end, that left Sans and Frisk to follow the servants to her new room. After all her stuff was put away the servants departed and in a moment of childishness, the little girl jumped on her bed. Frisk began bouncing around wildly much to Sans' amusement.

"Trying to fly, kid? I think it might take more than that.” He teased softly.  
"All humans can fly, Sans." She said it with such an air of seriousness that the skeleton found himself looking at her with slight confusion.  
"Is that so…?"  
Frisk winked at him. "Of course, technically everything can fly. We just can't land." Her bouncing was stopped suddenly and a blue light surrounded her. It was a warmth she would always love and she merely turned and watched as Sans brought her before him. Shaking his head, he chuckled.

"Well until you learn, let's keep our feet landed kid." Frisk nodded but whatever playfulness she built up was hushed at his next question. "What do you think?" She cocked her head in confusion.

"About the manor?" He nodded and she shrugged. "It's alright… But the stares will take time get used to… And the hatred." His silence was enough to push her to continue. "I'm the monster chick. I heard some of them call me that the last time I was here. They aren't to please that I'm staying but they are too afraid to say anything aloud." Taking advantage of floating, the girl moved to hover just above Sans so she could place her hands on his shoulders as she grinned. "I'm not afraid though… It just means I have to try harder and watch myself. Good thing I have a really scary skeleton guard dog."

His grin relaxed. "Woof."

Chuckling, Frisk pressed her forehead to his as the monster took her into his arms while releasing his magical hold over her. "Just promise me you'll stay out of trouble kid." Frisk pulled back and cocked her head to the side.

"I never find trouble."  
The skeleton snorted. "Oh really?"  
She nodded eagerly. "Really. Trouble just so happens to have a bad habit of finding me." He didn't laugh at this and in truth she didn't expect him too because they both knew it was more than true.  
"Things won't be as smooth as you think they will be…" He stated softly.  
"I know but you know you can't spell Frisk without risk." Papyrus was right, he was definitely becoming a bad influence.

"Ha, ha. Where ever have I heard that one?" He placed her down on her feet and locked eyes with her.  
"Don't you go carrying the world on your shoulders, kid." Genuinely, Frisk smiled before taking his hand in hers.  
"I promised I would remain strong. I promised I would do my best and I intend to. Don't worry about me, Sans. No one will hurt me here." To that the skeleton rolled his eyes.

"Famous last words kid—" He found himself cut off as the little girl wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close.  
"We’ll do this together, Sans. I promise.” For a time, he could only stare down at her but his hands moved upon their own admission after a light sigh left him and he found himself petting her hair fondly. "Tibia honest kid, wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

Toriel walked hand in hand with Asgore as the king spoke to the Frenchmen. All three leaders sat in Aimé’s waiting room facing before each other while Aimé tried his best to rest their fears. She listened mostly, staying uncharacteristically silent as the two discussed what exactly Frisk would learn. Although she listened to his words, she was listening out for more than just that. She was listening to his tone, his intent. Toriel was waiting for that one moment where the human would show the littlest bit of dishonest so that she could put him down and take her child home. But she found none, not even when she began to ask her own questions. “How many doctors do you have available on your estate, Monsieur Aimé?” Despite her frosty tone, he answered lightly.

“There are two that are always staffed, Madam Toriel. However, during the day time we do have an extra doctor who is also on site due to the amount of people we have on staff.”

She frowned. “Are they licensed to treat children?”  
“Of course, madam.” For a moment she fell silent before speaking once more.  
“And what of the humans within your estate, Monsieur…?”Aimé frowned and folded his hands upon his lap. The look on his face showed the disdain for her tone and the question.  
“What of the humans within my estate, Madam Toriel?” Asgore looked to his wife softly as he interrupted. “I’m sure she means no ill will, Monsieur. Isn’t that right, Tori?”

She turned her eyes to Asgore but said nothing as she turned back to the man. “I am worried about having our daughter here, Aimé. I worry about the humans who glance at her with fear and hatred. I worry that in moments where you are not present, she will be subject to discrimination for her past actions in freeing us. How do we know that she will be safe from such things?” Aimé’s eyes softened and he looked at the woman sympathetically.

“She won’t be.” Before the fire could wield up within Toriel, he continued. “If Frisk was raised by humans, she would have learned at an early age under the care of her parents that the world isn’t kind. I don’t claim to know the world that you all emerged from, however what I do know is that on the surface everyone isn’t kind. Child or not, the moment Frisk shows weakness she will be thrown to the wolves. Can I ensure that she will not be given dirty looks? No. Can I ensure that I will be there at every step to make sure that they greet her with smiles all the time? No. I know how humans are better than most. I have gone through my staff and removed those I have truly considered a threat towards Frisk both physically and mentally. But there are always those who disapprove in silence. Always those who discriminate in silence.”

Toriel looked down and gritted her teeth. “She is just a child. She doesn’t deserve their hatred.”

Aimé sighed. “No one deserves hatred but she must learn to deal with it.” He watched Toriel fidget at the thought and after she expressed a look of worry at Asgore, he spoke up. “Do you know she threatened me?” Both Asgore and Toriel snapped their heads in his direction, unable to believe at first what he said. “I went to go shake her hand when she accepted this arrangement but when she took mine, she clutched it so tightly that I found myself shocked. And with each word she spoke that grip became tighter and tighter. ‘There will be nowhere to hide if you go back on your word.’ She stated. ‘For the first time in my life I will not show mercy.’” Smiling up at the two the Frenchman shook his head.

“Never in my life did I think I would ever be threatened by a little girl.” A glint of seriousness passed through his eyes. “And never in my life did I think that I would take such a threat so seriously. But when she said such a thing it wasn’t you or your influence I feared. No, it was Frisk herself.” The man stood from his seat and looked at Toriel gently. “Your little girl is strong, Madam Toriel. If she was at any risk of breaking under the few cold people she is going to meet here, I would have never extended this invitation to broaden her education personally. By her own admission and mine, you have my word that she will be more than well in my care. I swear this to you.” He held his hand out to the woman and watched as she and Asgore took in his words. After a second she rose and shook his hand in return.

“Thank you, Aimé. I must admit, we are quite lost when it comes to human affairs. We were hesitant to let Frisk stay here but there is only so much we can teach her. She needs to learn human affairs from a human, not us.”  
  
He waved her off with a soft chuckle. “No thanks are in order, Madam. After all, it takes a village to raise a child.” And with a child such as Frisk, they were one city short of what would be needed to raise her up. “Come now, let me show you more of the estate. After all, you should be familiar with Frisk’s new home.”

It wasn’t until dusk when the monsters decided it was time to head back. Toriel held Frisk for what seemed to be an eternity as she kissed over her face and promised to send her care packages whenever she could. (Frisk had to talk her down into sending one a week instead of sending the 5 she wanted to.) Papyrus was quick to get his hug from her immediately after, as was Alphys, before Sans scooped her up and gave her his own bear hug. Undyne gave her a light punch in the shoulder before she walked over to the group and like that, they were already. Well, except for one person… The group turned to Asgore as he approached the child and kneeled down before her. He placed a hand on her head and smiled at her softly.

“Yesterday you were the little girl who released us all. Today you are the ambassador who is trying to find a place for us within the human world. But what about tomorrow…?” Frisk watched in both awe and uncertainty as Asgore reached up and removed his crown from his head placing it down upon her own. Immediately, she froze up and stared at him with shock. “Despite everything, despite what hardships you will have and will be forced to overcome understand that this crown is yours. Our people are yours. Never doubt yourself, little one. And if you ever need anything know we are only a call away.” He placed a hand against her cheek before standing up and removing his crown from her head. Frisk smiled and hugged her father tightly.

“I’ll make you proud, papa.” A gruff laughter left the king and he patted her head.  
“Silly child, you already have.” With one last hug, he let her go and ushered the others into the car before taking off. Frisk waved at the departing car and once it was out of sight, she merely stood there before turning to the estate. She suddenly felt relatively small in the grand scheme of things but after a moment she moved to go inside. This was her home now and she was going to learn everything about it from the inside out.

* * *

It didn't take long after her lessons had begun for Frisk to realize that she absolutely hated the world she had willingly joined. It wasn't because of the content she was being taught, no. She actually enjoyed learning new things but the problem lied with the changes in behavior that was expected of her. In her time at the manor Frisk found her place. Every morning she would wake up at 5 am and get washed up. The maids would see to it that her hair was done properly and she was dressed well before she had breakfast with Aimé. After having breakfast with him, she would attend her classes up until lunch at 12 pm. She enjoyed her mornings the most. Having time to speak with him taught her a lot about the old man. Being around him really did make her feel like she was conversing with a grandparent sometimes more than a mentor. However, he wasn’t the only part of her day and the rest, sadly, wasn’t as enjoyable. After lunch she had two more classes before finishing up her day with the one class, she hated the most.

Madam Helena was assigned personally by Aimé to be her etiquette teacher. She was to teach her not only how to hold herself in public but in front of the other ambassadors as well. Aimé assured Frisk that the woman had a hand in the upbringing of many of his colleague’s children and that she was nothing short of the best. Yet despite his reassurance, she wasn’t blind. She could feel the displeasure the woman felt at being around her but she didn’t allow it to get to her. At first…

By the third week of classes with Madam Helena, Frisk quickly learned that the woman didn’t just dislike her, she despised her. She absolutely hated her and Frisk dealt with it day in and day out for the past month. Self-conscious about the woman’s attitude towards her, Frisk first thought it was because of her inability to grasp her lessons immediately. The way she was supposed to talk, the way she was supposed to act, the way she was supposed to greet people, the way she was supposed to engage others; the slew of mannerisms tossed upon her was so heavy that she found herself not only overwhelmed but frustrated.

When she had originally signed up for all of this Frisk had believed that all she would have to do was excel within the lessons but what she didn't realize was that part of the lessons was changing, even if a slightly, who she was. Surely if she could play the part, Madam Helena would lighten up. At least, that was her original thought but that was not the case. Frisk had believed her determination alone could change the woman’s outlook on her. But Helena was the one nail that pierced through her determination despite her resolution to show the woman that she was better than how she perceived her. Even when she did her best and nailed down every lesson, Helena would always find something wrong. She would always find some reason to punish her.

As the days progressed, Frisk started to absolutely dread going to the woman’s classes but she never opened her mouth. She never let anyone know. When Undyne visited, the little girl would play off her foul moods. When Papyrus noticed her rubbing her arms, she would play it off by distracting him with new recipes she had found. And when Sans would appear within her room at random and catch her wiping away tears, she would chalk it up to home sickness and merely indulge in the comfort he openly offered. She didn’t want them to worry, especially not him.

She could handle Madam Helena without help. She never complained when the woman punished her unjustly for small mess ups. She never screamed when she hit her or made snide comments, Frisk just let it slide. She had been through much worse in her lifetime but even the savior of the monsters had her breaking point. It wasn't as if Helena's hatred wasn't returned either. Frisk despised the old gnat and she clung to the feelings of spite that welled up within her as switch came down and cut into her palms.

Frisk wasn’t even remotely surprised about how she ended up in her current situation.

The little girl winced but never made a sound even though she wanted nothing more than to cry out as the switch came down upon her hands over and over. She kept her eyes narrowed at her instructor and managed to keep them trained on her as the switch came down once more.

“Unruly little twat! You think you can speak to me like that?! You think you can sassy me and go unpunished?!” Helena brought the switch down harder causing Frisk to finally cry out. It hurt. It hurt so bad and she knew that at the rate the woman was hitting her hands, she wouldn’t be able to hold a pencil for days. But she regretted nothing. She would do it again if she could.

Constantly, Frisk caught the woman speaking ill to her family on a regular bases when they would come to pick her up for the weekend or came just to visit her in her spare time. And each and every time the little girl would give her hell for it. Whether it was small things like seemingly innocently embarrassing the woman in front of Aimé or misplacing her books when she wasn’t around. It was never anything big that would get her in trouble past an increase of homework. This time however, Helena crossed the line. This time the woman made the grave mistake.

Papyrus wasn’t as blind to the situation as Frisk had believed even if he didn’t know the grit of the details. He understood that Frisk was feeling off and he understood that something was going on. But he didn’t pry, no, instead he spent his time focusing on what he could do to make her feel better. He had spent the past four days trying so hard to learn Toriel’s butterscotch cookie recipe. It was her favorite and the last time he had visited she had told him how much she missed them. She told him the story of how when she first tried to do them herself, she had gotten flour everywhere and her parents laughed and laughed... It was a memory she cherished dearly.

So, it should have been no surprise to her when he arrived that day for their cooking lessons prepared to make her as many of the cookies as he could dish out. He damn near abandoned Sans as he dragged Frisk into the kitchen to show her what he could do. She had tried to go back for the other skeleton but he waved them off, telling her he had something to do. That served Papyrus just find it seemed. He wanted nothing more than to bring Frisk a piece of home so that he could bring a smile to her face. All he wanted was for her to be happy. And if he could do that pun less, it would be even better.

It was a gesture that touched Frisk dearly. The scent of butterscotch filled her with the warmth of her family. A warmth she had been without for some time… But before she could even utter a word of proper thanks to the skeleton as he placed the first tray out on the counter, their time was interrupted.

“Girl! Do you not have the common sense to mind your time!” Immediately, Frisk dropped her cookie and ran to the doorway as Madam Helena turned the corner.  
“I’m sorry, Madam Helena…” The woman sneered at her.  
“Look at your clothes. Can’t you even stay clean by yourself? Must I teach you how to do that as well?”  
Frisk bristled. “No, Madam Helena…” Scoffing, the woman went to scold the child once more only for Papyrus to catch her attention.  
“What is _that?_ ” Perhaps it was his need to give her a chance. Perhaps he really didn’t pick up on her tone. Whatever it was, Papyrus didn’t remark upon Helena’s attitude. He merely walked up to the pair and smiled.

“I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS!” He extended a hand out to the woman. “I AM FRISK’S SECOND BEST FRIEND! WE ARE MAKING BUTTERSCOTCH—” The sound of the slap rang out within the kitchen and all Frisk could do was stare. Madam Helena had reached up when he extended his hand and slapped it away from her before she was touched.

“Do. **Not.** Touch me.” Frisk clutched her fist but Helena paid it no mind. “Is this the company you keep, girl? Is this what your so called ‘parents’ keep around you?” Red eyes filled with hatred as Frisk looked up at the woman. “No wonder you’re a lost cause.” Helena turned her eyes towards Papyrus as the skeleton rubbed his hand where he was slapped. “What a disgusting thing this is. And you cook with it? What would a skeleton know about cooking? Look at it! Not an organ in sight.” Papyrus looked at the woman with slight shock before looking down. “How do you even know what food taste like, monster? Can you even taste what you make? I wouldn’t be surprised if it all tasted like shit and dust!”

The moment she hit Papyrus, the woman set herself up for hell. But with each word that fell from her, she only stoked the fires of Frisk’s rage. How could she? From the get go, Papyrus always did his best to make friends with everyone. He even went as far as offering a homeless human his scarf once and yet here her beloved friend stood feeling horrible because of one cruel woman. One cruel human. Messing with her was one thing, but no one messed with her family. It was almost sad to say that in her rage, Frisk blacked out for a moment. She didn’t remember every single word she said to Helena. She didn’t remember every name she called her. But she would never forget the look of shock upon the hag’s face when Frisk finally unleashed all the ill will she had felt towards her for her sins against her friend.

And in return Helena snatched her up by her hair. In return, she yanked the child out of the room ignoring Papyrus' protest and his assurance to Frisk that he would stop the human woman. For protecting her beloved friend's emotions, she was to be punished by lashings and she didn't even care. She wasn't going to let Helena upset those she loved the most.

And so there she sat. Standing before the woman as she continued to bring down the switch upon her hands.

Tightening the gaze of her glare upon the woman, she soon found the switch coming down harder upon her palms. "Stop glaring at me, you little bitch! You will learn to watch your mouth around your elders! Aimé may have requested I make sure you a lady but I will not deal with a child who acts like a monster! The fact that he even thinks a little wretch like you could join high society is laughable!" The woman must have noticed Frisk bristling once more for the switch stopped her bubbling determination from rising.

It was…Hard. It was getting harder and harder the more time she spent on the surface to not dislike humans; to stop that dislike from rolling over into hatred. Honestly, she may have been wrong (no she knew her actions were _very_ wrong) but Frisk understood why Chara wanted nothing to do with the surface. She understood why they wanted the surface to burn but she wasn't Chara. No, Frisk was stronger than Chara in every way.

She could handle this. She could do it without giving into anger. She could… "You are a so-called princess and its time you act like it!" Sneering, the woman continued to speak with each lash. "To think a stupid child like you set those abominations free-! Aimé may have hired me to teach you but know that you will fail. You and those creatures are what's wrong with the world today!”

Helena stopped hitting her and snatched Frisk by her chin. “What do you think will take place when they find out what happened to the first human that fell into the underground…?” That sentence alone stopped Frisk's heart. “Did you think I didn’t know? That I wouldn’t find out? I read the history books—do you think people won't remember what the dead prince did? How he killed that young girl?” Inhale. Exhale. _Breathe._ Calm down. Frisk tried to look away in order to steel herself but Helena forced her to look at her again.

“Those villagers were right to kill him."

Shut up.

"They were right to put him in his place!"

Shut. Up.

"Those beasts deserved to be locked back in the hell they came from."

Shut. **Up.**

"And history will repeat itself!" The emotion that flooded the little girl was overwhelming and she did her best to push it down. "I can't wait for the world to see them as they truly are and kill them all!"

Frisk failed.

"Shut up."

Helena blinked at the sudden intrusion of Frisk's voice before scowling. "How dare you speak to me like—!"

Frisk bared her teeth at the woman as she snapped back. "I said shut up. You will not talk about my family like that. You will not talk about _him_ like that!"

Helena scoffed and released Frisk's face. "Speak of who, Frisk? The dead prince? The bastard that killed that poor girl? Wise up, girl!" Helena raised the switch once more. "Monsters don't deserve to live!"

It was almost in slow motion. Behind Frisk the door opened but in truth neither of the two noticed it. Frisk's sole attention was on the switch and as her determination rose she found it was driven by something other than her will. Before Helena could react, Frisk reached out and snatched the switch from her hands. Before she realized that she had taken it away, Frisk shoved her back.

Eyes ablaze, Frisk stared the woman down before stepping forward as she gripped the switch tightly. "People like you are the reason why the world is the way it is. People like you are the reason they were locked up for nothing. They aren't the problem, you are. This world doesn't just belong to you! Even after the monsters were locked up humans continued to conquer each other over land, over money, over stupid beliefs and imaginary gods! You caused your own problems!" The woman reached out to snatch Frisk by her hair but missed as the child automatically dodged backwards.

"And what would you know? You're nothing but a little bastard child! A child who isn't even cared for by her own race!" Frisk didn't hear the footsteps of three figures approaching as her inner rage rendered her deaf. "Raised by goats, a fish, a lizard and a pair of unnatural skeletons! You may be a treasured child around here but don't you forget to the eyes of sane humans your nothing but a freak whose mother probably threw her down the mountain!"

The child's feet were off the floor instantly as she lunged forward. The switch was the same weight as the stick in the underground. The same stick that served her well up until she acquired a— Helena moved to hit the child in order to push her back but once more Frisk dodged. How dare this woman talk so badly about her family? About Asriel? About her _mother_? What did she know about her mother? Frisk didn't even know anything about her mother. The sorrow she felt at that was fleeting as it turned into more anger. More hatred. As she closed in, Frisk reared her arm back and clutched the switch tightly. Determined to make Helena feel the same amount of pain her word inflicted, Frisk brought her arm down, unaware of the smile that began to grow over her face. Mercy was not a option, however, neither was attacking.

Before the switch could make contact, she quickly found herself enveloped by a familiar blue magic. She was so close. She was so _damn_ close! The scream of frustration that left her as she was picked up and brought into the grasp of two ironclad bony arms was one she hoped to never release again.

Helena looked towards the door and the three that had gathered at its entrance. The sight of Monsieur Aimé was enough to make her blood run cold, but the sight of the skeleton with the blue hoodie that held Frisk made her want to crawl under a rock.

"THAT'S HER, SANS! THAT'S THE WOMAN WHO SO VIOLENTLY SNATCHED FRISK OUT OF HER ROOM! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, DID NOT HAVE TIME TO PULL FRISK BACK BEFORE SHE WHISKED HER OUT AND—! …FRISK?! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HANDS?!" Just like that, Madam Helena began to feel the weight of her sins grow upon her shoulders. It wasn't until she looked in to the glowing eyes of Sans did she realize that she was in for a bad time.


	8. Let Me Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me out (feat. Mavis Staples and Pusha T) by the Gorillaz is the name of this game~  
> I literally listened to this song on repeat. Its like Sans' theme song for this chapter lol
> 
> LAWD THIS IS LONG.  
> I went to put the two parts into two chapters but it wouldn't make as much sense as it would all together. So here you go, Merry belated xmas, what you get me?
> 
> Thank you for your comments and Kudo loves~ 
> 
> Now look at Pappy dropping knowledge.  
> Ain't he the coolest?

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!"  
  
Sans held Frisk close to his chest and once she was grasp, he kept an iron hold over the thrashing child. “Calm down, kid.” She kicked her legs out before turning heated crimson eyes towards Sans.  
“LET. ME. GO!” The amount of abashed anger Frisk showed him gave him pause. How long had she been bottling up all this rage...?  
“I’m not gonna. You gotta calm down, Frisk.” Denying her request only served to make the child angrier and she screeched out as she tried to get out of his hold once more. For a moment, Sans wasn’t actually sure if he would be able to hold on too long considering how wildly she was trashing.

He hated doing it but she left him with little choice. His magic moved and took hold over her soul rending the child still despite her best efforts. Once more, Frisk yelled out but her struggling was fruitless. It took a good solid five minutes for the child to begin to calm down but even when she did, she still looked for a way to get to Helena. The physical tantrum may have been halted however her rage was still very present. Sans turned the girl towards his chest and threaded his phalanges through her hair as she grunted in protest.

"THAT'S HER, SANS! THAT'S THE WOMAN WHO SO VIOLENTLY SNATCHED FRISK OUT OF HER ROOM! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, DID NOT HAVE TIME TO PULL FRISK BACK BEFORE SHE WHISKED HER OUT AND—! …FRISK?! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HANDS?!" Immediately, Sans took the girl’s wrist and held it out so that he could see. She didn’t fight him and when the skeleton’s eyes darkened, she seemed to relax just slightly within his hold. Gently, the skeleton ran his phalanges over the wounded flesh of her hand. His own bones soon found themselves smeared with blood and he took a breath in a weak attempt to calm himself. He pulled the switch from her hands and discarded it as his glowing eye intensified. Aimé looked towards Frisk as the wounds were brought to his attention and moved to get a closer look however, he was quickly stopped by the look the eternally grinning skeleton threw his way.

"Don't worry about it." Sans' tone was stable for the moment but it betrayed his own inner rage. Still Aimé attempted to speak up.   
"I—"   
"Don't worry about it." Frisk pulled her wrist away from Sans and he released his hold on her soul. The little girl leaned into his chest and clutched his shirt as she did her best to calm herself. Yet again, she was failing. Frisk pressed her face against him and tried her best to use Sans' presence to ground her. Placing a hand on her head, Sans did his best to help placate her as he spoke.

"Right now, Frisk needs to be taken care of. I will deal with that…" He didn't even bother to hide the venom in his voice. " _Thing_ once she is out of the room. Though I have half the mind to call the police. Monster or not, one call will end in a child abuse charge." The color drained off of Helena's face but anything she would had said to defend herself was cut off as Sans spoke on. "Not to mention, if Tori and Asgore found out Frisk was being harmed here… Well, I know more than a handful of monsters who would be willing to go to war over our… What did you call her? Oh yes…" The lights in his eyes went out and his grin grew demonic in nature, so much so that one could have sworn that at any moment his teeth would part. "Our 'freak'. I believe that's what that human called her."

Aimé could feel his blood run cold at the skeleton’s internal fury. He may have not been the one holding the switch, but he knew in his heart that Sans blamed him just as much as the woman and to some degree he couldn't blame him. He had promised that Frisk would be safe in his care, that the child would come to enjoy her stay. Who knew how long Helena had been doing this or what she had said to the girl? All he could do was hope the child ambassador didn't call upon her family for such acts against her. She would truly be with in her rights to but it would end badly for both sides. Clearing his throat, he attempted to stay strong.

"This will not happen again, I assure you. I will cleanse my staff of all those who share in Helen's beliefs and let them know once more Frisk's importance. I—"

"Papyrus." The abrupt interruption caused the taller skeleton to jump and he looked at Sans silently. "I need you to do your thing and take Frisk to her room bro." Frisk clutched his hoodie tightly unwilling to be passed off. He placed his hand to her head in a attempt to soothe her. "You know what to do. Besides no one can stay upset after you showered them with your greatness." For his brother his tone and expression softened significantly and Papyrus responded in kind as he took Frisk into his arms. Even in her blind rage, Frisk calmed her thrashing in Pap's arms knowing better than to continue on so violently with him.

"YES! OF COURSE! FRISK NEED THE GREATNESS OF HER NUMBER ONE HERO TO OVER COME THESE TRYING TIMES! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL MAKE SURE SHE RECEIVES ALL THE NURTURE SHE NEEDS!" Sans' smile relaxed just slightly for him.  
"I know you will Pap." Frisk never adverted her eyes away from the woman as she was picked up by Papyrus and taken away but just as the door was about to close, she looked up and met Sans' eyes. It was going to be alright. He was going to make everything okay. He was going to get rid of that horrid lady and make sure that this didn't happen again. He didn't need to say it. She just knew.

She knew everything was going to be okay now, but that didn't make her feel any better. The walk to he bedroom was a long and silent one. Once they arrived, Papyrus set her down upon her bed. He kneeled in front of her smiling softly as relief washed over him. Although her hands were a mess, bloodied and battered, she was alright. He could take care of her wounds and he would. After telling her to sit tight, the skeleton left the room only to return some time later with a first aid kit.

"FEAR NOT FRISK! THAT WRETCHED WOMAN WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HARM YOU ANY LONGER! AIME AND SANS WILL RESOLVE EVERYTHING AND THEN YOU WON'T EVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS AGAIN!" His words shouldn't have made her as angry as they did but with each one that fell from Papyrus the little girl found her rage rise again. In a swift motion, Frisk released what could only be described as a growl as she looked at Papyrus.

"Do you think she's the only one? Do you think this will stop with just her?!" The skeleton looked shocked as Frisk stood up and stomped her foot down. Papyrus tried to speak but she stopped him. "Stop it. Just… Stop it. Everything will not be alright Papyrus! Don't be so naive! You can't just smile and wish things away! There are a million humans who think the same thing that she does! A million more who will act like she does! God knows how many I have seen since I've been here but you know what the difference is between Helena and them? They hate in silence." Moving to her wardrobe, the little girl kicked it with unnecessary force.

"Why are we even here?! The Underground may have been cramped but it was safe! It was home not this place! The humans would rather see us dead than let us live in peace! Even though they don't deserve it they'll steal our happy ending away again!" Once more, the little girl stomped down before turning around and grabbing the dressings on her bed. "They won't stop until you are all **dust!** " Ripping them off in a rage she soon found herself in the taller skeleton’s arms thrashing to be free. Despite this, Papyrus merely held on to the child, silently until he collected his words.

"…I AM AFRAID FRISK." That one sentence caused her to stop in her tracks. Though he was open with his thoughts, Papyrus always seemed to keep his true emotions just under the surface. They weren't hard to figure out like Sans' were no but for the sake of the others he never really spoke them aloud. So, she stopped her temper tantrum and slowly looked up with the feeling that she should absorb every word.

"I, TOO, FIND MYSELF QUESTIONING AT TIMES IF THE SURFACE IS REALLY WORTH IT. EVERYONE STRESSES OUT SO MUCH ABOUT IT AND IT SEEMS THAT EVEN THOUGH WE THOUGHT LIFE WOULD BE EASIER UP HERE IT HAS JUST GOTTEN HARDER." The skeleton sat down and brought Frisk upon his lap. Papyrus offered her a comforting smile before looking down at her hands as he began to wrap them with the forgotten first aid kit.

"BUT… LOOK HOW HARD EVERYONE IS FIGHTING FOR LIFE ABOVE GROUND. LOOK HOW FAR WE'VE COME! I'VE FOUND THAT NOTHING THAT ISN'T WORTH IT ISN'T WORTH FIGHTING FOR! THAT'S WHY I CHOSE TO SMILE THROUGH THE HARDSHIPS! THROUGH OUR STRUGGLES! BECAUSE JUST LIKE WITH THE BARRIER I KNOW ONE DAY WE WILL PREVAIL. ONE DAY WE WILL MAKE IT THROUGH THE HATRED THE HUMANS THROW AT US AND LIVE IN PEACE!" With each word the little girl's anger dissipated and as he held a hand out for her to take it disappeared completely. "WHEN YOU WENT THROUGH THE UNDERGROUND KILLING US... SANS SAID I NEVER ONCE HELD ANGER TOWARDS YOU. NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU HAD KILLED ME. I BELIEVE THAT EVEN THEN I SAW THE GOOD WITHIN YOUR SOUL." Papyrus took Frisk's face into his hands and softened his expression.

"ALL IT TAKES IS A LITTLE MERCY. MERCY IS WHAT GAVE YOU THE CHANCE TO CHANGE. MERCY IS HOW YOU CHANGE OUR HEARTS AND MERCY IS HOW WE WILL MAKE OUR WAY THROUGH THIS WORLD. MERCY MADE YOU INTO WHAT YOU ARE TODAY AND THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT IF WE JUST CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT THE HUMANS CAN CHANGE, THEY WILL." Mercy. Mercy is what gained her the family she always wanted. Mercy is what granted her the best friend a girl could ever ask for. Mercy broke the barrier and mercy is what saved her from herself. What saved her from Chara. The anger she felt now wasn't Chara's it was her own. The hatred she felt was her own and she couldn't blame anyone else.

And that was okay.

It was okay for her to be angry. It was okay for her to feel hatred. But it wasn't okay for her to hold on to it. Sometimes people only needed mercy, to be proven wrong and even if they still didn't push past their self-righteous behavior. As long as Frisk stuck to who she was she would always win in the end. Even if she was forced to deal with a world full of Helenas, as long as she remembered who she was past the anger, past the hatred, it would be alright. Frisk pressed her own hand against Papyrus' hand with a small smile and chuckled as tears pricked at her eyes.

"Papyrus, you really are the greatest…" The skeleton brightened up the moment he realized his words got through to her. "NYEH-HEH-HEHE!" His infectious laughter lived up to its reputation and the child giggled in kind. Leaning in, she pressed her face against his chest and closed her eyes. It was going to be alright. Everything was...

_**F u c k .** _

Unwilling to raise alarm, Frisk lifted her head, hiding the inner horror that sprung up.

"Papyrus?"  
"YES?"  
"Can you go make me a big bowl of spaghetti? It would really cheer me up." The skeleton's grin grew and after setting her to the side carefully he struck a pose.  
"I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO MAKE YOUR MOST FAVORITE MEAL IN ORDER TO CHEER YOU UP! YOU ARE, AFTER ALL, MY FAVORITE HUMAN!"  
Frisk smiled at him gently. "Thanks Pap. Don't forget extra cheese!"  
"NEVER!"

The two exchanged grins and he set her down to the side upon the bed. Frisk watched as he left the room. She counted to twenty and when she was sure he was really gone, she bolted. Running through the halls, ignoring the restriction of her suit, she followed her instincts knowing very well it would take her to where she needed to be.

She was a fool. She was a goddamn fool—didn't she just entertain the thought that she was better than Chara? And yet here she, the child who navigated her way through a world of monsters with a pacifist's attitude, needing to be reminded about the strength of mercy. Determination surged through her and she pushed herself to move faster. She didn't have a lot of time; she had to make sure she got there to stop him. She had to make sure she showed Helena who she really was.

A screech sounded off and she knew she was going the right way. It took her another minute before she arrived and when she did it wasn't a moment too soon. Her feet didn't allow her to take in the scene; she didn't need to. She knew he was standing there with his gaster blasters out. She knew an armada of bones were hovering around them just waiting to be thrown. His fear of what would have happened if the woman pushed to do something unspeakable where profound. The fear that Helena could have sparked a reset overtook him.

There was nothing the human woman could do to be spared. The sins against Papyrus were enough to cause him to act, but to act against them both? She had practically signed her own death certificate. The only incentive he needed was the sins that weighed down on her soul; the amount of LOVE she had accumulated by attacking Frisk alone... And Aimé wouldn't have stopped him, oh no. He knew very well that it was this or face the wrath of her parents—or so Sans would have him believe in order to have his way.

But she also knew, as the bones came flying in their direction, that she would make it in time. She knew he would never hit her and as she came to stand above the crumpled form of the woman who had struck her, she was proven right. "Frisk?!" The bones came to stop just before her face and Frisk never fidgeted. She could have touched them if she had only stuck out her tongue but the distance of them to her face didn't worry her one bit. "What the hell are you doing—?!" In the face of this little girl's determination the monster was rendered speechless as she smiled at him. She captured his gaze unwavering and time seemed to stop around them as an inaudible conversation took place between the human and the skeleton. As if he was given a silent request, the skeleton allowed his body to relax once more as he banished his weapons.

It was more the sound than anything that let her know that he did so for once his body had relaxed her turned her back to him. Kneeling before the terrified woman, Frisk did what neither Aimé or Sans believed themselves capable of. Holding out her hand, she replayed Papyrus' words over and over in her mind and in her heart. Some battles would require her to do things differently yes and she would have to learn how to properly play the game of politics… But she also knew now that she couldn't let them change the core of who she was.

  
After all, sometimes all it took was a little mercy.

* * *

“Forgive me for my lateness, Sans.” The skeleton looked up as the manor’s owner stepped in, his grin ever so relaxed. The moment his brother took off with Frisk that afternoon he moved to find Aimé immediately. He had a bone to pick with the old man and he preferred if he could do so without Frisk being any wiser to it. Sans’ presence in the manor had been a frequent one ever since Frisk had moved in. However, he didn’t always allow the others to know he was around. Not to mention, he had to be come sneaker when it came to looking over Frisk due to the child’s growing ability to detect him. His ability to do so worked out in his favor when it came to catching her off guard but it also helped in catching other things he would have never known.

Like how a certain teacher of hers punished her both physically and emotional for trivial mistakes. Like how the little girl would try so hard to push it down. It allowed him to catch her at times where she would just break down and sob. Even though she never admitted the truth of the pain he knew and he didn’t push her. On those nights, he stayed with her and lightened her mood to the best of his ability. And when he couldn’t turn her mood, he merely held her. He didn’t want to move his hand if he was sure Aimé could take charge. Still, after noticing a faint welt on the child’s arm one night after she fell asleep in his arms, he knew the old man was blind to what was happening right under his nose.

And it pissed him off to no end.

This human promised them he had everything taken care of. He promised that Frisk would be safe and he failed. That alone made him want to take both Aimé and the bitch in question to the cleaners. But it was better to do things by the book in this case before he went full on Judgement Hall on them. No matter how hard he wanted to. Sans gave none of his inner thoughts away as he laid out on the sofa with his feet up and his arms crossed behind his head. Despite Aimé’s position he didn’t even bother to change how he rested. If anything, the skeleton simply yawned.

“No problem. Was time for my afternoon nap, anyway.” Aimé took in Sans’ presence with exasperation. With as much time as Frisk spent with her ‘dog’, he was surprised that the monster’s ways didn’t rub off on the child.  
“Yes well, you said you wanted to talk to me?” The skeleton didn’t say anything and only removed one arm from behind his head and gestured to a seat.  
“Indeed, I did. Take a seat.” The man couldn’t help but to feel as if he was going to be interrogated but the thought of being treated as such in his own home was laughable so he dismissed it. Or at least he did until Sans appeared upon the seat beside him with his legs crossed, eyes close and hands folded within his lap. The skeleton didn’t even bother to hide the shift in his disposition or his tone.

“Let’s have a heart to heart, or rather, heart to no heart.” The man raised an eyebrow and waited but when Sans didn’t continue, he pushed forward.  
“Is there something wrong, Sans?” The skeleton allowed no pause.  
“There are many things wrong with the world but what I’m trying to convey needs more finesse. By now you know that there is no hiding anything from me, correct?”

Aimé frowned unsure where this was going but responded regardless. “I have witnessed your ability to obtain information, yes.”  
“Cool, so I don’t have to beat around the bush. I hear from Frisk that you’ve become informed of the title she had oh so loving bestowed upon me. Something about a guard dog.” He cocked his head to the side but didn’t open his eyes. “But its more than just a false title, I assure you. When you humans are not aware, I am there. I am always there watching her and waiting for the first sight of a threat to come her way. Whether it is by another’s hands or her own.” Sans’ cracked one eye opened and looked at Aimé with open disdain.

“You humans always think you’re so slick. You always think that you can get away with airing your dirty laundry out. You always think that no one is around, that the walls don’t have ears and that there will never be any consequences for the things that you do in the dark. You know what? Maybe you could have gotten away with shit before, but not with monsters and certainly not with me. In all your planning and attempts to create a structurally sound plan for her education you over looked the blight within your own staff. So, tell me Aimé, what happens when a manor that host monster haters has to take care of their leaders’ child? Don’t worry I’ll wait.” Completely stunned, Aimé stumbled to gain his words as his frown deepened.

“Your accusations are just that, accusations. Frisk—”  
Sans snorted. “Wouldn’t let you know if they are making sure she’s taken care of and treated right. It’s not her way and I can make as many pinky promises as I want with the kid but some things do not change. We are the adults here and if there is a problem, we should take care of it. So, when I say the wrench known as Helena is an issue and I tell you she has been raising a hand against Frisk while spreading filth about our kind in front of the kid then we should what, Aimé? Again don’t worry. I’ll wait for an adequate answer.” He didn’t show his anger to the oblivious human but it was there. Anyone with a brain could put together the clues that something was wrong with the way Helena interacted with Frisk. Hell, even Undyne, in all her short sightedness, noticed that some the woman’s blunt hatred towards the human child. Yet still, Aimé remained blind. Unwilling to handle the skeleton’s attitude any longer the man narrowed his eyes.

“Madame Helena has trained many children from my household and others, Sans. She is a precious asset to us all. To insult her is to insult me and I will be damned if I am insulted in my own home.” The man looked at Sans’ fiercely but his resolve broke when the skeleton turned his head to him and opened his eyes. All Aimé could see was darkness within his eye sockets.

“And I will be damned if I allow Frisk to get hurt further because of your blindness towards your staff. I will be damned if I allow that bitch to lay another hand on her ever again. Frisk knew that there were people here who wanted nothing more for her to be gone and stay gone. See, she was the one who tipped me off to this fact.” The human’s expression of frustration and anger dipped into confusion.

“If this was a concern of hers why didn’t she tell me?” Sans closed one eye as the other light returned.

“Look how you argue when I state not an accusation but a clear fact that she is being abused by your so-called precious teacher. She may have gained more of a bite to her since being on the surface, but our little pacifist is still just that; our little pacifist. She would rather be attacked and beaten then deal with confrontations if she can stop it with a stoic disposition and a cold face… With a hug or cold pasta…” He scoffed gently at the memory. “The point I am making Aimé is that there are many things I am willing to let her handle on her own—” This time upon revealing his other eye the room grew colder and one eye became engulfed by a cyan glow.

“But this isn’t one of them. If you allow this to continue after this conversation then, well let’s just say you’ll face one of the worst monsters Frisk has ever had to come across. There will be no talks. There will be no second chances. Before you can even come up with a negotiation to set things right I will have already laid waste to that woman without a thought. I’m giving you this one chance to set things right, Aimé. If you fail Frisk, Helena won’t be the only one staring down a bad time. Are we clear, _human_?” For his part in failing the child, the man felt remorse, but as he sat under the monster’s gaze all he felt was judgement and the weight of his sins crawling along his back.

“I didn’t hear an answer, human.”  
“Crystal clear…”

Sans was downright goddamned unlucky. He was the only one who bared the weight of the timelines by himself for so long, he was the one who had to live through finally getting freedom and watching it being snatched away. He was the one who had to deal with watching his brother be murdered multiple times. He was the one who was never in control even though he knew the situation like it was the back of his hand.

Yet this time, for once, he believed the conversation with Aimé was a step in finally gaining control before it spiraled into madness. He was wrong. When Papyrus came rushing in, he knew in the back of his skull things could not be that easy.

“Sup bro-?!” He didn’t get to speak before he was picked up and shook wildly.

“SANS! YOU MUST COME WITH ME AT ONCE! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WAS GOING THROUGH MY NORMAL COOKING LESSONS WITH THE HUMAN WHEN ONE OF HER INSTRUCTORS CAME IN!!! THE WOMAN BEGAN TO BERATE MY COOKING AND…WELL…PERHAPS I COULD HAVE GOTTEN IT BETTER… BUT HER WORDS MADE FRISK SO MAD! THE HUMAN CURSED THE WOMAN OUT WITH WORDS I’M PRETTY SURE SHE LEARNED FROM YOU BY THE WAY!! BUT AFTER SHE WAS DONE, THE WOMAN SNATCHED HER VIOLENTLY OUT OF THE ROOM! I FEAR SHE MEANS HARM TO FRISK, SANS!! WE MUST FIND THEM AT ONCE!!”

Despite his disheveled disposition, the shorter skeleton didn’t miss a single word and after getting out of Papyrus’ grasp he sighed and looked to Aimé. “It appears the time for you to act has long since passed, Aimé.” Turning to the door the skeleton looked at Papyrus. “Let’s go, Pap.”

With Aimé on their trails, the skelebros took off, each one locked on to the pull of determination that was undoubtedly Frisk. It didn’t take them long at all to come to the room and once they opened it, they caught the end tail of the woman’s words.

“You may be a treasured child around here but don't you forget to the eyes of sane humans your nothing but a freak whose mother probably threw her down the mountain!” Shook by the way the woman addressed the child, Papyrus and Aimé didn’t notice the surge of determination that over took the child as she prepared to leap at the woman. But he felt it immediately. He had been on the receiving end of that determination so many times that he could never ignore it. Frisk wasn’t playing, if she managed to hit that woman with the switch she wouldn’t stop until the woman was knocking on death's door. He wouldn’t let her have any more blood on her hands.  
  
Casting his hand out, Sans captured the girl with his magic and brought her towards him as the group finally approached. The moment she was captured she screamed out in rage and she didn’t calm down any more when she was in his arms. She kicked her legs out wildly and he did his best to keep his hold upon her.

“LET ME GO! LET ME GO!”  
  
Sans held her tighter as sweat began to run down his skull. “Calm down, kid.” Apparently that was the wrong thing to say as the little girl turned hate filled eyes towards him. How long…? How long had she held in this hatred? How long had she bottled it up inside?  
“LET. ME. GO!”  
He gritted his teeth. “I’m not gonna. You gotta calm down, Frisk.” The screech she released filled him with dread. It was too close to the sound she would make when she used to be so close yet so far from striking him down in genocide runs. So close… Frisk’s tantrum grew and the little girl thrashed harder against him.

Sans took no pleasure in it, but if he didn’t act she would be set free. He just couldn’t allow that. His magic moved out and took hold over her soul to render the child motionless. At first, she seemed shocked but when she realized what he did she yelled out once more. Although he settled her physical movement, he knew her mind was still consumed with anger. He turned her towards his chest so that she could not look at Helena and threaded his phalanges through her hair. He hoped she would calm with the woman out of her sight but it took a good few minutes for her to even attempt to do so. The feeling of her determination was staggering from afar, up close it was suffocating.

“THAT’S HER, SANS! THAT’S THE WOMAN WHO SO VIOLENTLY SNATCHED FRISK OUT OF HER ROOM! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, DID NOT HAVE TIME TO PULL FRISK BACK BEFORE SHE WAS WHISKED AWAY AND—! … FRISK?! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HANDS?!”

Without a second thought, Sans’ pulled back and took the little girl’s wrist keeping his hold on her soul. The moment his eyes rested upon her palms she relaxed slightly and stopped fighting against his hold. Blood trailed down her fingers, across her palms and stained the cuffs of her white shirt around her wrist. Gently, he ran his phalanges over the wounded flesh of her hands. His own bones found themselves stained with blood and he took a breath in a weak attempt to calm himself. He took the switch from her other hand and discarded it as his anger presented itself in the intensified glow of his eye.

He promised he would keep her safe. He promised she would be alright under his care, under his staff. He promised to both him, Toriel and Asgore that Frisk would not be harmed under his care. And Aimé failed so **fucking** hard that Sans couldn’t help but to allow his grin to grow at the thought. Aimé attempted to come close in order to inspect the wounds but he wasn’t even going to let him get close to her. Turning a rather demented look towards the older man the skeleton spoke.  
  
“Don’t worry about it.” He almost surprised himself at how calm he sounded. Aimé still, however, attempted to take control of the situation.   
“I—”   
How stupid was this man? “Don’t worry about it.” Sans released his hold on Frisk’s soul, allowing her to move freely. For a moment he believed she would attempt to go after Helena again but instead she pulled her wrist away and leaned against him. He didn’t care that she was staining his hoodie as she clutched it. He was just happy she was trying to calm herself. He placed a hand on her head in a as he did his best to placate her. Before Aimé could try to interfere again he spoke

“Right now, Frisk needs to be taken care of. I will deal with that…” There was no use hiding the venom in his voice. “ _Thing_ once she is out of the room. Though I have half the mind to call the police. Monster or not, one call will end in a child abuse charge.” Sans almost laughed when he noticed the color drained off the bitch’s face. That’s what she was worried about? She attacked the child of the monster patriarchy and she was worried about a police charge? Humans really were a riot… “Not to mention, if Tori and Asgore found out that Frisk was being harmed here… Well, I know more than a hand full of monsters who would be willing to go to war over our… What did you call her? Oh yes…” The smile that crossed his face was the stuff of nightmares and he knew it as the glow of his eye dissipated and his eyes blacked out. “Our freak. I believe that’s what the human called her.”  
  
In every timeline in which Chara took over, Sans was absolutely helpless. He could only stand by and watch as his beloved brother dissipated into dust. It seemed that the rests were a never-ending cycle of misery that he could never get past and even when he had come to accept that he could do nothing, he would always try to get some revenge for his brother’s death. But now, he could protect him fully as well as Frisk. Now, he could do something meaningful. He wasn’t going to let the most important people in his life suffer because of the arrogance and ignorance of one human bitch. Aimé started to speak once more but Sans’ paid him no mind. Looking towards his brother, the skeleton interrupted Aimé without a single thought.

“Papyrus.” He didn’t continue until he had his brother’s full attention. He needed to get Frisk out of here. At the rate she was struggling with controlling her emotions, she would eventually get fired up again and he didn’t want her getting her hands dirty by dealing with the woman.  
  
“I need you to do your thing and take Frisk to her room bro. You know what to do. Besides no one can stay upset after you showered them with your greatness.” Frisk wouldn’t dare thrash around as wildly with Papyrus as she did with him and his assumption was proven right when she calmed the moment she was passed over.  
“YES! OF COURSE! FRISK NEEDS THE GREATNESS OF HER NUMBER ONE HERO TO OVER COME THESE TRYING TIMES! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL MAKE SURE SHE RECEIVES ALL THE NURTURE SHE NEEDS!” If possible, his face softened more and more in the wake of his brother’s positivity. If everyone saw the world as he did then this situation would never be an issue…  
“I know you will, Pap.”  
  
Right before they left the room, he locked eyes with the little girl. Everything was going to be alright; it really was… He would make sure of it. This woman wouldn’t hurt her ever again. No one would as long as he had anything to do with it. The moment the door closed, the shorter skeleton turned to the woman with his eyes closed and sighed.

“Aimé I warned you. I warned you what would happen if you failed her.” He stepped forward. “You humans make me sick. You believe you are so high and mighty that your word matters more than any others. You’re so facetious; childish… You think you can judge everyone based upon your own skewed ways of thinking but let me tell you something the guilty cannot judge the guilty.” Slowly but surely, he opened his eyes and revealed one electric glowing cyan orb. Helena gasped and attempted to scurry away from the skeleton as he approached.

He threw out one hand and gripped his magic around her soul. As he pulled at it, he snorted at the color. Black. Hatred. Without a warning, he threw the woman into the back wall, releasing her soul upon impact. Raising his hand Sans summoned his Gaster Blasters and chuckled.

“It is easy to strike down an obedient child. One so easy to please and determined to succeed. It is so very easy to draw blood from them. And with each hit you dealt to Frisk your soul thrived as it increased its LOVE. But that feeling of pleasure you received came with a price tag.”

With little warning, Sans brought his hand down and summoned an armada of bones. Helena just barely managed to get out of the way but not without getting cut from one bone that sliced open the flesh of her arm. With tears in her eyes, the woman cried out.

“MONSIEUR AIMÉ!!”

 ***** B u t n o b o d y c a m e .

  
“Do you feel it?” Helena clutched her arm in a feeble attempt to stop the blood as she turned her tear-filled eyes towards Sans. The skeleton winked at her. “Do you feel the weight of your sins pricking your soul? Can you feel them crawl up your back?” Once more he took hold of her soul only to throw her into a blue bone. “I almost feel bad for you. Cause lady, let me tell you—” Helena cried out in agony as she hit the floor and when she got the strength to push herself up, she gasped as Sans appeared before her.

“You’re going to have a hell of a bad time.”

He wasn’t going to kill her, no, but he had every intention of beating her within every inch of her life.

There was no surprise in his heart when he felt his LOVE rise at the mere thought of teaching this woman a lesson. After all those fights with Chara, after literally killing and being killed by her multiple times, no matter how many times Frisk reset his LOVE was always there. Yes, he had gotten good at keeping it hidden and yes, the other still couldn’t feel it; but he could. Frisk could. And it was times like these where he also felt a small resemblance of regret at the feeling of fullness, he got from acting on it. The regret for the slither of hatred for those who forced his hand to act.  
  
For a little while, the skeleton toyed around with the woman causing deep wounds but nothing permanent. But after she promised not to hit Frisk again, promised to be nice to Papyrus; after she promised a façade of lies, he hit the limit on his patience and his mercy.

She could have been the reason for a reset. This woman’s utter stupidity could have end in them going right back with in the underground. It could have ended in them never being set free. Ended in Frisk taking her life for the mistake she would have been forced into… And yet here Helena was, lying to him for her own sake

He hadn’t intended to kill her before… But now he had no qualms in doing so. He would never allow someone to take away their happy ending ever again. Not a human, not a monster. And it all started here. Summoning a femur with a sharpened end, he came to stand right before the woman as she begged in vain to be let go.

“For people like you…”

He didn’t hear the footsteps.

“There is a special place in hell.”

Nor the doors being thrust open.

“Send me a post card when you get there.”

It was like slow motion. One moment he was poised to kill her and the next she was there. Standing before the woman in a protective stance unwilling to allow her to die. Unwilling to let her be judged for her sins. Unwilling to allow the skeleton to serve her justice. Unwilling to let his LOVE grown further and unwilling to back down… The femur stopped just as the wave of determination hit him and the skeleton found his weapon pointed right at Frisk’s face.  
  
“Frisk?!” How did she get away from Papyrus? What was she thinking?! “What the hell are you doing—?” He was silenced at her smile and then, caught in a trance, they locked eyes. She wanted him… to spare this woman? Even after her own reaction earlier? Even after all the damage she had done to her? Didn’t she want Helena’s head on a platter not only ten minutes ago?

Frisk was a good kid but even she was entitled to petty victories in his book. And yet, here she was standing before him silently asking that he leave the bitch alone. He narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on his femur. There was nothing stopping him from pushing her out the way and taking care of Helena as he started too. He wanted nothing more but… For a moment longer, he kept his eyes locked on to Frisk’s before giving in. Sans’s banished his bone and shoved his hands into his pockets.  
  
There was nothing he wanted more than to have Helena’s blood paint the end of his femur as a testament to the humans about treating Frisk right. Nothing could have made him happier than seeing that bitch take her last breath. But as Frisk turned around and helped the sobbing woman up, he released his hold on his powers and turned to the Frenchmen.

“Aimé.” The old man jumped. Unfamiliar with both Sans’ true ability and Frisk’s own when it came to mercy, Aimé found himself shocked at the scene that had just played out before him as he spoke.

“Y…Yes?”

“It would be in your best interest to remove this woman from the property. Frisk has managed to save her this time but next time I catch her or anyone else treating her in a similar manner, I will not stop.” The skeleton turned to watch Frisk while she helped Helena into a chair even with her hands bleeding still from the wounds given to her by the switch.  
  
“Clean out your staff. Undyne will be present when you do so to make sure that not one being who can harm Frisk will be over looked.” Although he didn’t look at the old man his voice darkened. “If you do not want a repeat performance today I advise you to clean them out carefully.”

“O-Of course.”

The pair watched Frisk as she spoke softly to Helena. She apologized for the scare that Sans gave her (he almost wanted to laugh when he heard that) and asked her if she needed water. Aimé approached the pair silently before calling out.

“Frisk…” The girl turned to the old man and walked towards him once called. “Forgive me. Your safety is mine to insure and I failed to secure it. I will make sure this never happens again.” She gave a tired smile. “It’s okay.” It wasn’t. “You didn’t know.” He should have. Although, Frisk was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt the old man knew that he had failed. He also knew that her guardian would have little faith in his ability to keep true to his words of keeping her safe from now on.  
  
Moving from him, the little girl walked towards Sans and immediately took his hand. The skeleton’s eyes softened when he watched her wince at the pain of her palms. The sight of her alone made him even more angry towards the old woman. But he wasn’t going to distress Frisk more by going back and finishing the job. Without hesitation he picked the little girl up bridal style and turned towards the door. Frisk settled against him tiredly and rested her head against his shoulder.

“We’re done here. I will give you three days to clear out your staff.” Before he saw to it himself. The skeleton didn’t give Aimé a chance to speak before walking out the room. The walk back to her room was a quiet one filled with conflicting emotions. On one side he wanted to coddle her like a set of baby bones for the bullshit she had to deal with when it came to Helena. On the other side, he wanted to scold her for putting up with it for so long and even more so for running in front of his attack.  
  
In the end he did neither. He pulled her a little bit closer and once they arrived, he set her down. “Bed.” The little girl shuffled to the bed and sat down on the edge as he moved into the bathroom. After a moment, he emerged with a first aid kit and began to unwrap her wounds that had gotten agitated as she helped Helena. He discarded the bloodied wraps and proceeded to clean up the wounds once more he crouched down before her. The pair remained silent for the longest time as the skeleton cleaned and wrapped her hand. As he finished, he took her hands and sighed.

“You ain’t got the common sense you were born with kid.” She fidgeted under his scolding though that was light coming from him. “Why did you stop me?” She froze and looked down as she gathered her thoughts.

“…I wanted to kill her.” Sans’ head snapped up. “I wanted to kill her and I wanted her to pay for talking about him. For talking about Asriel like she knew him. Like she knew what he had been through… Chara led him astray and he still can’t find peace even after everyone was freed. She spoke about him like he was a criminal…” Her voice waivered and that alone made him want to get up, storm back and rearrange Helena’s damn bones. But Frisk’s smile stopped him.

“But that’s the thing… I am not Chara. If I would have hurt her, if I would have let you kill her it wouldn’t have made us any better, Sans. I made my way through the underground with mercy. There is no reason I can’t make it through the overworld the same way.” The little girl leaned in and pressed her face to his shoulder. “We are already monsters to them. I rather confuse them with acts of mercy than prove them right…” For the longest time he didn’t move but when he did, she pulled back. Sitting on the bed with her, the skeleton pulled her against his side and kept his arm around her.

“We’re here for ya kid. You know that right?” Frisk closed her eyes half way and slowly wrapped her arms around him. “You don’t have to do all of this alone.” She didn’t respond but the light squeeze let him know that she knew. By the time Papyrus returned with the bowl of spaghetti she had asked for, the little girl was fast asleep.  
  
“FRISK, I—” The taller skeleton was stopped as his brother shook his head.  
“Shhhh. Easy, Pap. She’s sleep.”  
Catching himself, Papyrus nodded eagerly. “Oh, wowie. She must have been really tired…” Setting the bowl down, the taller skeleton sat down on a nearby chair and looked at his brother worriedly. “Sans…? Is it safe for Frisk here?”

“It will be Pap. Tomorrow you and I will make sure this doesn’t happen again, alright? We’ll even get Undyne to back us up.” Reassured, Papyrus relaxed and looked at the little girl.  
“Thank you, Sans.” Cocking his head, the shorter skeleton looked to his brother.  
“For what?” Papyrus sighed gently.

“Even after being told everything, I am not sure I could truly understand everything that you and Frisk went through with each reset and timeline. Yet despite everything you still managed to help her. I think if it wasn’t for you sometimes, she wouldn’t have made it this far.” Sans stared at his brother before turning his eyes.  
“…You really are the greatest Pap.”  
  
"Nyeh-hehe!”


	9. Sky Is The Limit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I posted this early by accident.  
> I hate buttons. 
> 
> Any-the-fuck-way.
> 
> Sky is the Limit by Savant~

He never left her side.

During the morning after the event with Helena, the skeleton refused to leave Frisk in the manor alone and his brother felt the same. Both skeletons ignored the Frenchman's protest when they took it upon themselves to state that they would be moving in. His protest was quickly silenced when Sans reminded him of how he still had yet to tell Asgore of how Aimé failed to keep Frisk safe. Aimé's fears of angering the king and his wife outweighed his protest of the skeletons' presence. Frisk took to being by the skeleton's side and, despite the fact that she would vehemently deny it if asked, enjoyed the attention he gave. While he scared the staff to death, she knew Sans' presence meant she was safe as Aimé moved to remove the rest of the threats. She allowed herself to be taken care of by the brothers and, even though at some points she wanted to move on her own, she knew not relying on them got her into this mess in the first place. To Sans, that blame was spread out to multiple parties.

Sure, Aimé certainly had his share of the blame but, once the immediate situation had calmed down and morning came Sans realized there was another who shared some of it. At first, he wasn't going to say a thing about it to her, but at Frisk's insistence (rather threat that she would if he didn't) he found he had little choice in the manner. So, once he had made sure Frisk rested that morning, he picked the little girl up, brought her into one of the unoccupied rooms and sat her down before bringing Undyne in. Immediately, she noticed the wounds on Frisk's hands.

"You getting into fights without me, punk?! Who'd ya mess up?" She laughed but was soon met with a sober response as the little girl spoke up.  
"Ah... No one. If anything, I'm the one who got messed up." Undyne blinked.

"What are you talking about kid? Ain't nothing can hurt you here! My guards are stationed all over!" Frisk fidgeted before turning her head towards Sans. Sighing the skeleton moved to lean against the wall. 

This was gonna take a while.

Sans kept true to his word and did indeed rely onto Undyne what had happened. But he was quick to also make sure that the woman did not lose her cool, throughout. To her credit, she did manage to contain most of her rage. Until he finished that was... Jumping to her feet, she screamed.

"I'LL FUCKING KILL HER!" Frisk winced but Sans' spoke before she could.  
"Get in line."  
"I'LL MAKE THAT BITCH PAY!"  
"Well shes jobless now so..."  
  
Once more Undyne screamed out. "JUST WAIT UNTIL SHE REALIZES WHO SHE MESSED WITH!"   
"Somehow the description of a nine year old, a skeleton and a fish woman shall instill fear within them all. Villains beware."

The fish woman snarled and turned to the skeleton as she summoned up one of her spears. She had enough of his crap. "YOU THINK THIS IS A JOKE?! SHE TRIED TO HURT FRISK AND YOU'RE MAKING JOKES?!" Without a thought she threw the spear dead at Sans ignoring Frisk's cry of protest. But just as it was about to hit his face, he disappeared. A sigh sounded off in the room as the skeleton's voice sounded out. 

"I continuously forget why I tell you anything in the first place. Your hot-headed nature is gonna be the death of me." Undyne straightened up as a cold chill ran down her neck. A voice spoke on from behind her and she jumped at the sound. She turned and came face to face with the skeleton, eye a glow and grin stretched wide.  
  
"You were not there. You were not there when we came across Frisk standing before the woman. You were not there when I had to stop her from killing the human herself.” Undyne winced. “You were not there when I moved to judge her soul and you were not there when I was subsequently stopped from doing so." He shoved his face in hers and cocked his head to the side. "So, don't tell me what I can and cannot joke about Undyne." 

"Enough!" The two turned their heads towards the little girl as she approached them looking both frustrated and worried. "You can't keep fighting. I should have told you all what was going on with Helena. You can't blame Undyne or Aimé for that Sans." Despite the pain in her hand, she took his gently. "They can't read my mind. Neither can you. So, stop." The skeleton blinked before closing his eyes. When he opened them again, they were back to normal. Looking at Undyne, the little girl smiled softly. "No, you can't go after Helena. Sans has given her enough hell for one life time not to mention I'm sure he gave her ptsd... It happened. It’s over. From now on I'm keeping everything out in the open. Sans and Pap will be around now so we'll have more of our people here to help."   
  
Undyne scowled softly but let her animosity die down. Frisk looked at Sans' patiently but after giving him a glare that could scorch the earth, he sighed.   
  
"Sorry about that, bud. No hard feelings?" The skeleton extended his hand and Undyne merely looked at it. After a moment she softened and reached out.   
"Yea... No hard--"  
  
 _PFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFTTTTTTTTTTTTTT~!_  
  
"Pft, the old whoopie cushion in the hand trick. Never gets old--"  
"I'M GONNA KILL HIM!"  
  
Frisk wasn't quite sure what she was going to do with the both of them but at this rate she was going to need a long nap before she did did anything...

Within the three day deadline, Aimé kept his promise and dismissed ever member of his staff that remotely seemed like they shared Helena's views. Word of the woman's punishment got around quickly and fears intensified when an ambulance came to collect her along with the police. Frisk had attempted to dissuade Aimé and Sans from pressing charges, but one sharp look from them both rendered her silent. She knew which battles she would win and this was not one of them. Those who were smart and shared in Helena's beliefs left of their own will. Those who were retarded were forcefully removed. Aimé met the skeleton's deadline and by the third day the staff was cleaned out and a replacement was chosen as her new etiquette teacher.

After arguing for it, Frisk returned to her normal routine though she was spared from written work due to her injuries. At first, Aimé absolutely insistent that she took at least a week off for her mental and physical wellbeing. As he argued with her, he quickly came to understand how the monsters faltered in the face of her determination. The child fought him on the subject until he began to wear down. He was never as grateful as he was then to have Sans within the manor.

"I can do my work. I'll be fine. I'm strong enough to get through this." Frisk crossed her legs before crossing her arms over her chest. Sans intervened quickly.  
"You're not strong enough apparently." Frisk looked up in shock at the skeleton who sat next to her. "The strong know when they need to rest. You're so busy trying to prove your strength that you don't even realize your body is screaming at you to take a break." She bristled.  
"I'm fine Sans." The skeleton snorted.  
  
"Oh really?" Reaching out, he grabbed a pen off of the coffee table and handed it to her. "Here. Go on, hold it." Taken aback, Frisk blinked before reaching out and taking the pen. Hesitantly, she moved the pen to a writing position and almost instantly she hissed in pain. Dropping the pen, she clutched her hand while looking down in defeat and shame. Without missing a beat, Sans' reached out and took her hand, looking at her softly. "It's alright to rest, Frisk. Those wounds are only three days old. Let them heal, then you can go back to being a workaholic. For now, we'll forgo all your written work and focus on the classes that won't impede your healing." She wanted to argue but Frisk knew that Sans had his own brand of determination. He wasn't going to let it go. So, she gave in.

Over the course of three weeks her wounds healed. Whenever her parents visited or picked her up to take her home, she kept gloves on to hide them from Toriel and her father. It would do no good to stir up strife.

For the most part all was well within the manor. She was finally getting the hang of the lessons being taught to her and she actually found herself committing them to heart. She was doing so well in fact, that Aimé decided it was time to act.

* * *

Winter was quickly descending upon them but besides a new found pressure to plan something for her birthday it was business as usual. Dressed in her usual black suit and white gloves (a new found habit even after the wounds healed), Frisk made her way to the dining hall. It was extremely rare for Frisk to have lunch with Aimé. Even when the councils called for recess, he was usually in his study around that time answering phone calls or tending to different kinds of paper work. It wasn't an unpleasant turn of events yet she found herself wondering the reason for the occasion.

She was more surprised by the fact that her skeleton guard dog was nowhere to be found as opposed to the fact that she was to have lunch with Aimé though.

Before lunch Frisk found herself in her Military Strategy course. Just thinking that made her roll her eyes. When the class was presented on her schedule upon first coming to the manor, she was immediately against it. She didn't want to learn how to go through a war, she wanted to learn how to stop one before it even got to that point. Aimé was quick to stop her, as he called it, foolish thoughts.

 _"Could you have stopped humans from imprisoning monsters?" She found herself surprised at the Frenchman's question._  
 _"What?"_  
 _"Could you have stopped the monsters from being imprisoned by humans?" Frisk furrowed her brow._  
 _"Of course not. I wasn't even around then. There was nothing I could have done."_  
 _"Exactly. Whether or not you want a war is inconsequential at times. Sometimes things happen despite our best attempts to avoid certain consequences. This course isn't to prepare you for a war that is bound to come. It is to prepare you for those who wish to bring war and, if they succeed past our attempts to stop it, how to deal with it if it just so happens to come to that. The best offense is a good defense."_ She still doubted if that saying applied here, but she saw some merit to his words...

“FRISK!”

The little girl jolted to and looked sheepishly at her teacher. “I’m sorry...” Exasperated the man sighed.  
“Were you listening?! This is the second time I've had to call your attention! Please focus!" This time she didn't even bother to offer a weak apology. The man placed his hand upon his face and grumbled. "Perhaps if I relate the lesson to you, it will make you focus more..." Looking at the child he cleared his throat. "What would be a good reason humans would seek a war in order to drive the monsters underground once more?" She blinked.  
  
"Because of prejudice and hatred towards those who are different..."  
  
"That is certainly why the masses would push for a war yes but, that alone isn't enough to push those in charge to go to war. What are some of the reasons politicians would take up arms against your people?" Besides hatred, to be honest, Frisk never thought about another reason why the surface world would push them back down. Her lack of an answer showed on her face and her teacher smiled when he realized that, at least, she was trying. "Think, child. We have been going over wars for the past months and their different causes. What is something that monsters have that humans do not, hmm? What would we seek to gain for ourselves? Something that could change all our lives if human governments managed to get a hold on it?"  
  
Frisk looked down at her book and bit her lip. Monsters have very little. Though they made the underground work it was nothing in comparison to what they had now that they were above ground. Even then, they still didn't have as much. "We don't have that much in material possessions as a race..." Her teacher raised his eyebrow when he noticed she grouped herself with them but said nothing on it. "We don't possess oil or gold... We were lucky that the land around Ebott was even welcoming towards us. The only thing that we have that they don't is-" The color drained from her face immediately as the possibility came up. "Magic... We have magic."  
  
Her teacher clapped in praise. "Now you're thinking with your head! Every being on this earth has a resource that another wants, whether it is material or not. Humans have long since forgotten the presence of magic within the world but the surfacing of you and your monsters has brought that back. And now, once it settles in and they realize the potential, they could all just be lining up to make either alliances or enemies with you to get it. Those who would not be willing looking for war would do so by attempting to get in your good graces. And those who would believe that pandering is beneath them would seek to take it by force." Frisk fidgeted in her seat. Monsters already had so very little even though they were growing. The thought that their magic could be something that the humans go after... "Do you see why it is important to pay attention in class now, Frisk? By learning from the past, you can prepare for the future. You never know when you will need to rely on these lessons."  
  
"Yes, Mr. Muller..."   
"Good."  
  
She paid attention attentively afterwards but the fear had been implanted. Though she knew that his scenario was just that, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility. Not to mention if the world ever learned of the technology the monsters created such as the core... Well, it would bring in a new set of issues. But if nothing else it also highlighted the fact that making ties to one person wasn't going to be enough. She would need a network to make sure that none of these scenarios became a reality. The worry of situations that weren't even an issue (yet) filled her brain up until the lunch time. The moment she was dismissed, she walked out of the room and made her way towards the dining hall. It wasn't until she entered the hall that she realized that she wasn't going to have a simple lunch with Aimé.

Her curiosity at the sight before her turned into all out suspicion saw Sans sitting down next to her seat. Normally, the skeleton spent the mornings with her and sat in on her classes with her. But this day he skipped out on her right after breakfast only telling her that he had something to attended to. She frowned at him as he waved in her direction but as her eyes scanned the room and caught sight of Undyne, her expression turned to one of neutral displeasure.

"What did you do?" Sans snorted and even Aimé chuckled as the fish woman looked flabbergasted and then offended at Frisk's accusation.  
"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" Frisk pursed her lips.  
"The only time you are called in a room with all three of us is when you've broken something, set something on fire or brutally maimed someone. What. Did. You do?"  
Undyne screeched in disbelief and Sans placed his hand over his face as he ended up laughing besides himself. Aimé shook his head and after a moment of listening to the two girls bickering, he coughed, catching everyone's attention.

"I called them all here. Come, sit." Once more, Frisk gave Undyne a pointed look as the head of security crossed her arms over her chest and fumed silently. Regardless, Frisk took her seat and leaned back as she locked eyes with Aimé. From behind, a servant came and handed Frisk a cup of tea. The little girl took it without a thought, placed the saucer down in her lap and held the cup up to her lips. She spoke before she took a sip.  
  
"I have the distinct feeling I will not enjoy this discussion, Aimé..." The old man chuckled. "You just might. It has come to the attention of my colleagues over the months that you have been residing within my estate." She gave him an exasperated look.

"They just figured that out...? Seriously?" Sans' grin widened and for a moment Frisk expected him to speak. But he said nothing as Aimé continued.  
"Quite. I, myself, was rather surprised at how long it took them to realize that we had some form of arrangement going on. Yet, now that the cat is out of the bag, they have been demanding to know the details of it." Frisk raised an eyebrow.

"It’s none of their business."  
"I'm afraid it doesn't work that way, child. If we do not respond properly, they will make it their business to uncover anything that may indeed be devious." Frisk scowled.  
"There is nothing devious going on."  
"They do not know that. Frisk, you more than anyone know how humans react to the unknown."

The little girl sighed. In her some of her other lessons, Frisk had the opportunity to learn the mannerisms, countries, histories and personalities of each and every ambassador she was to interact with. And yet despite the lessons, the advantages she would have over them in their first face to face meetings, she still wanted little to do with the men if she could help it. Yet, dealing with them properly was the exact reason why she had come to Aimé's estate in the first place. It would be foolish to ignore Aimé's words now.

"You would not have taken time out of your day to bring all three of us here if you didn't have something planned. Even if I would rather ignore their...childish-" Frisk could practically hear Sans grinning now. "-antics, I supposed it would be unwise.” Her crimson eyes met the older man's as she raised an eyebrow and her cup for another sip. "So... How are we supposed to deal with this, Monsieur?"

  
"Simple. We host a party."

A... say what now?

There was very little the little girl could say that could summarize the look on her face. It landed somewhere between 'Dafuq are you talking about?' and 'Are you mental?'. Luckily, Undyne expressed these words before she could.

“What the fuck are you talking about? If these humans are sticking their noses in our business then how the hell is a party going to fucking help us?" Aimé looked at the woman like one would look at a petulant child. Sans and Frisk both shared looks of amusement.

"Eloquent as always, Undyne. Please stop swearing in front of Frisk. I did not spend money on the finest English professor money can buy for her language to be reduced down to 'fuck, fuckity, fuck, fuck, fuck.'" The sound of the older man cursing alone was enough to make them laugh, but that along with his accent sent Sans and Frisk into a fit. He allowed them a moment to compose themselves before he spoke once more.

"As I was saying... Yes, a party. It is something I had been think about long before Frisk actually moved in, since she signed the agreement papers. Politicians throw parties for many things but for our purpose we will be throwing one to celebrate the alliance between my people and yours." Frisk raised an eyebrow.

"Wouldn't it be easier to do so during council?" The old man waved her off.

"You have seen how wild conversations jump during gatherings. Nothing would ever get done if we announced it there. No, this party not only gives us a chance to reveal the union between our people but to show them your growth as a politician. If you play your cards right, girl, you can come out of this event with a handful of allies instead of just one." Frisk fell silent as her mind went over the information Aimé laid out but as she did, Sans finally spoke up.

"But not everyone will be there to play nice. I wager that the men who will come flocking to this party will both seek to gain an alliance and prod at any weakness Frisk might have. There might even be some fools who decide she is a weak target that night." Stretching out, he made a sound of contentment before continuing. Frisk wasn’t fooled. The others may have seen his actions as lazy but she could see the tension that ran through him at the thought of having to deal with multiple threats nearby. "Helena was a real piece of work but men with her mindset and money? Those are the kind of fools who think one night and one brash action can solve all their problems. In this instance, the problem is Frisk."Aimé nodded.

"Quite. That is where I hoped you and Undyne would come into play. It is only mid-September. I wish to plan the event upon the child's birthday. December 22nd, was it not? Whether we adore or despise each other, it has long been a tradition to attend other ambassador's and political leader’s birthday celebrations in order to show good faith between each politician. Seeing as this will be Frisk's first, no ambassador would dare miss it least it shows where they stand with her.” His eyes passed between Sans and Undyne.  
  
“However, Frisk is more than just an ambassador. As the next to rule after her parents pass down the crown to her, the others are starting to see her as more of an heir than anything else. The party would be a nice way to get you familiar with what you will have to deal with personally when you rejoin the meetings in January. Lately, you have been handling everything from the manor but soon you will have your own office and be forced to deal with things on the spot as we all do. If we can get you any edge before that point, we should take it and use it for all its worth." Frisk did her best to process the information he provided. It was… a lot to take in. Soon however, she blinked like a revelation had slapped her in the face.  
  
Mr. Muller said that by learning from the past they could prepare for the future. If she thought about everything like a timeline, amusingly enough, it would be easy to understand how to prepare for the events that were to come. Currently, if they were to have the party, they would not only need to get ready but understand the men who would be walking right into their home. She was in the distant past. The actions they took now would affect the party from the moment it started til the moment it ended. She narrowed her eyes softly, blocking out the voices of the others as they spoke. But just like every timeline previously, she was in control as long as she took the proper steps.  
  
Step one: Understand their current need. Looking up she spoke.

"The party will allow us to see the hand of each of the ambassadors as long as I can gain a good grasp of their intentions throughout the night. It'll allow me to choose and pick my allies and enemies in a setting where it does not matter." She rested her tea cup in her lap and bit the tip of her thumb nail ever so slightly. "Though they all might be tight lipped at the beginning, by the end of the celebration I might even be able to see where they stand on issues that are important to monsters..." She looked at Aimé as he smiled. "The only problem is, one night is not going to put us as far ahead as we need to be to gasp the intentions of every man there."

For a solid moment, Frisk said nothing while she looked down into her cup. Once her mind was made, she looked up, but not at Aimé. "Sans." His eyes had closed somewhere within the conversation but the moment she called upon him, he opened them back up.

Step two: Gather reconnaissance without your intentions being known.  
  
“Sup, kid?”  
“Do you think you can deliver the invitations?” The group looked at her in shock but before they questioned her, she sighed.

“This whole ordeal will be completely troublesome. I know from my lessons which ambassadors and leaders I should look out for but words in books are hardly a replacement for experience, or so that’s what my teachers enjoy telling me. I rather be ahead even more so if I can help it.” The little girl raised out her cup and allowed a servant to take it. Once it was refilled, she sat it back down upon the saucer on her lap. “Your past job in the unground makes you a perfect candidate to let us know who we really should be looking out for.” Sans stared Frisk down as she took a new interest in her tea. She cooed in content at the taste only to have him speak.  
  
“A bit malicious isn’t it, kid? Sending me out to judge them before they even make a move?”

Frisk looked up. “If I had sent you out to judge Helena in the first place as I almost did, this…” She held out her gloved hand. “Would have never of happened. You told me I needed to rely on my family. You told me I didn’t need to do this alone. So, from now on I will use everything at my disposal.” Exasperated, she leaned her head back against the chair.  
  
"I wear these scars as a reminder of what happens when I don’t ask for help and I don’t want another replay of that. In order for this to work I will need you to play your part.” She looked to Undyne. “And I need you to play yours as well.”

Step three: Arm yourself to the best of your ability.

The woman blinked. "My...part?" Frisk nodded. "Indeed. Security should be completely nailed down within the manor before we even attempt to have this party. You need to know who enters this manor, who exits this manor, where they are when they first step in and where they are after five minutes of being within. You should be able to handle that in your position, Undyne. If we are going to do the up close and personal business you need to be the eyes on the back of our heads. There are no more chances for trial and error, before December every thing needs to be nailed down perfectly.” A glint of determination entered her eyes but only herself, Undyne and Sans were aware of it. “Failure is not an option.”

Aimé laughed gently. "I see you haven't lost your edge, child.” Frisk snorted.

“I believe I am only reading your previous intentions for calling them here, Monsieur.” The old man smiled.  
  
"Indeed. I hoped to have Undyne and Sans attend as well for two reasons. As head of security Undyne's presence would make sure that nothing gets out of hand. And having Sans besides you would stop any immediate threat we may have over looked. However, your plan is solid and holds a bit more merit. I dare say you are the only person I know who can turn determination into a threat to be reckoned with.”

Frisk's smile grew and she downed the rest of her tea and placed her cup and saucer on the table. "I don't know if I would call it threat. Regardless, as long as we all do as we are supposed to, I think this might actually be fun."  
  
Oh so fun...

Aimé was quick to leave once lunch was finished. Now, he not only had his work to do but the preparations for the party to begin as well. Fun. Frisk didn’t envy him at all though she would have to do her own work in preparation. In a rare moment of seriousness, Undyne excused herself with the intention of going over the manor. The thought that she would be responsible for the child’s safety from all perceivable threats that would come with the party as well as the rest of the inhabitants of the manor, set her on edge. For once, she acknowledged that overconfidence would be her downfall if she did not plan accordingly. If Helena was able to slip past her, there is no telling what would happen when others entered the manor at this moment.

Frisk watched the woman leave with avid interest though her curiosity was dulled soon after. Without addressing Sans, the little girl walked out the room knowing fully well that the skeleton was going to follow. “Annoying! This is going to be so annoying. I already have so much work to do and now this.” Sans didn’t say a thing. “I’m not jealous of Aimé’s work load at all but still a break would be nice.” Once again, the skeleton didn’t say a thing as he followed behind Frisk silently. She didn’t expect him too really, he was lost in his own thoughts but after a second she looked over her shoulder.

“Cat got your tongue, Sans?” He scoffed out a soft laughter.

“Gotta a riddle for you kid.”

Riddle? This was new. Turning away she smirked. “Shoot.”  
  
“What’s the difference between a good lawyer and a great lawyer?” The difference? The little girl stopped in the middle of the hall and hummed in confusion. Her back remained to the skeleton while she pondered the answer before she shrugged. Immediately, she was greeted by the sight of Sans as he appeared in front of her and looked down at her.  
  
“A good lawyer knows the law. A great lawyer knows the **judge**.” For the longest time, Frisk merely stared at him before a smile cracked over her face and she began to snicker.  
  
“Were you seriously thinking about that since we left the hall?” Sans laughed softly and gave a lazy shrug.  
“Among other things.”  
“Like?”  
“Like when did you become so conniving and what is going through her head?” Frisk chuckled.

“Sans, having a plan can hardly be called being conniving.” She folded her hands in front of her and shook her head in slight discontent.

“Whereas each ambassador does, in the end, have to report to their respective monarchs or leaders, I don’t. I mean, hell, they don’t know how to deal with that, with me, this child that climbed out of Ebott with monsters by her side. They barely know how to deal with a child ambassador never mind the human heir to damn the throne of monsters.”

“Language...” Frisk ignored him.

“We are finally having the chance to be ahead of the issues that come our way, Sans. Finally, we are in a position to control what happens to us. So, let’s.” He didn't answer immediately but instead he stared her down and for a second she was sure he was attempting to judge her own soul.  
“You seem pretty eager to start a fight, kid.” His tone held a subtle warning. It didn't really shock her that he thought so, but she would be lying if she said it didn't hurt to think that he believed she was going into this with the intention to fight.

“I never am eager to start a fight. Not with Toriel, not with Papyrus, not with Undyne, not with Mettaton, not with Asgore, not with Flowey and especially not with you. There is nothing wrong with making sure we are prepared for everything.” She frowned deeply. "After you finally got me to ask for help, am I really making you that mad by asking you to look into these men?"

“I didn’t say you were kid. But the road to hell was paved with good intentions.” At her confused look he sighed and walked up to her. “I agree with your reasoning, to an extent but don’t let your need to be one step ahead of the game lead you into a mess you can’t get out of. As I remember that is also one of the biggest reasons humans failed in their multiple conquest of war. I don't know those men.” Reaching out he poked her forehead. "But I know you." His grin softened. "You over think things too much when your stressed and I see those little gears in your head turning at a hundred miles per second. Just... Remember that a judgement isn't all there is towards a person’s character. Don't get carried away with what I report back and try to write everything as the final end all be all." 

Her eyes turned downwards as she took his words into consideration. “If I do get carried away... will you stop me before I get too out of hand—Ow!” She reaches up immediately and covered the sore spot on her head where the skeleton had flicked her. “What was that for?!” Chuckling, Sans shook his head.

”I’ve been keeping you out of trouble so far. Why would I stop?” Frisk stared up at him before smiling and moving to take his hand. “You're a jerk. My jerk, but a jerk.” She laughed as he rolled his eyes.

“Yeah well, just try not to get to frisky during all of this.”

“...Seriously?”  
  
“What don’t like that one? I stayed up all night trying to think of a good one like that."  
"Are we really doing this right now?"  
"Then it dawned on me.”   
  
Immediately dropping his hand, the little girl moved and stomped off. The skeleton laughed himself into a fit at her reaction. “Come on kid, I lined up ten jokes just to make you laugh.” Her eye twitched while his grin grew. “Sadly, no pun in ten did.” His laughter grew as the little girl turned swiftly and threw one of her gloves straight at his face before continuing to stomp off.  
  
“Does anyone want a free dog?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A END NOTE? WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?
> 
> The next chapter is a skelebros affair y'all. So go hug Frisk you'll see her in a week...or two...
> 
> Yup


	10. People

_He could feel the child’s dread as he watched her mother run through the forest with her in her arms. They were moving up the mountain at an alarming pace but never did the woman let her little one go. In the back of his skull, he gathered the feeling that he was looking at something he shouldn’t have. Something private. But he couldn’t distinguish the face of the mother or the child. Instead of interfering he simply watched. It wasn’t until they reached the edge of the mountains opening that they came to a halt, but their pursuers did not. The mother placed the little girl down and pushed her behind her. It was then that he got a good look at their faces._

_They had none…  
  
Where eyes, a nose and a mouth should have rested was only visible static. Even still, he couldn’t help the feeling of familiarity he gathered from the child. His thoughts were interrupted as three men came to approach the two and though he couldn’t make their words out, their actions spoke loud enough. They wanted the child. Instinctual, he moved to help but found he could not. All he could do was watch. The leader of the men stepped closer to the two and even though his eyes were blocked out by static as well, his mouth was not.  
  
Hand the child over. Don’t be foolish. We’ll go easy on you. _

_The skeleton’s inability to move fueled his own helplessness and though her face was distorted by the static, the body language of the mother was transparent. Though he did not know what she was planning, she had made up her mind about her next course of action. As he watched, he had believed he figured out how this would play out. But the woman was determined to surprise him and the other men, it seemed.  
  
In order, the first thing he didn’t expect was the surge of determination that overwhelmed him immediately. He averted his eyes to the men but they either seemed to not feel it or not bothered by it. The second thing he didn’t expect was for the mother to turn and kneel down before the child only to begin to sign.  
  
‘Mama loves you…’ She hesitated. ‘I love you…so, so much. You know, that right?’ The little girl looked at her with tear filled eyes and nodded. Her mother wiped her tears and continued to sign, all the while giving the child a soft and loving smile. ‘You’ll be okay. As long as you stay determined you will be okay.’ The child’s hands trembled but she forced herself to respond.  
  
‘Mama I’m scared…’  
‘I know, baby girl...’  
‘I don’t wanna go!’  
  
The leader of the men told woman to hand the child over. He told her that their time was up. The human remained unaware of the determination and came off of the woman. The skeleton, however, knew the moment she picked the little girl up, she wasn’t going to comply. His last moment of surprise came when he looked towards… No... **At** him only to look away. She kissed over the little girl’s face and hugged her tightly before her determination flared up once again. The men were unable to move quick enough as the woman turned and threw the little girl over the hole of the mountain. Shock filled the child and she couldn’t even scream before she found herself falling downwards into the mouth of the mountain. He fought against the invisible binds that held him, desperate to save the child and the mother. But it was no use._

_And then…  
  
_

_  
*Knowing your daughter will not have to face a death as torturous as yours will be gives you a twisted sense of comfort as you prepare yourself._

_*You do not dodge the attacks. You are set on finishing this here._

_*Determination fills you as the gun is pointed to your face—_

_The world went black. Whatever kept him in place released him but it was a little too late to do anything to help...  
  
He clutched his chest and gritted his teeth. What... What fate could have been so horrid that a mother would rather throw their child into a mountain than hand them over? What were those men after? So lost was he in the despair of his own uselessness, that he almost missed the new arrival.  
  
Before him, a red heart appeared and floated in front of him. One name popped up in his mind at the sight of it but he knew it wasn’t **them**. He didn't know if it knew he was present or if he was just there to observe once again. His question was soon answered as prompt appeared._

_  
**G A M E  
O V E R  
  
  
** _

**_LOAD?_ **

**_Yes No_ **

****

**_…_ **

****

****

**_LOAD?_ **

_**Yes**_ _♥ **No**_

****

**_…_ **

****

****

**_RESET?_ **

**_Yes No_ **

****

**_…_ **

****

****

**_RESET?_ **

**_Yes_** _♥ **No**_

****

**_…_ **

**** ****

****

**_Are you sure?_ **

**_Yes_** _**No**_

****

**_…_ **

**** ****

****

**_Are you sure?_ **

_♥ **Yes**_ _**No**_

**** **…**

 ** _  
..._** ** _✌_** **_☼_** ** _☜_** **_✡_** **_⚐🕆_** **_💧_** **_🕆_** ** _☼_** ** _☜_** ** _...?  
  
Yes _** _**No  
  
…**_

****

_“. . .Yes. . .”_

  
  
  
**...** **✡** **⚐🕆** **☼** **💧✌👍** **☼** **✋☞✋👍** **☜** **🕈** **✋☹☹** **☠** **⚐❄** **👌** **☜** **✋☠** **✞✌✋☠** **.**

**✡** **⚐🕆** **☼** **👍** **☟✋☹** **👎** **🕈** **✋☹☹** **❄☟** **☼** **✋** **✞☜** **...**

**✋💧☠🕯❄** **❄☟✌❄** **☼** **✋☝☟❄** **,**

**💧✌☠💧** **?  
**

* * *

"SANS!!!"

By the grace of whatever god existed, Sans snapped to. Alert and ready to fight, to protect, his eye glowed without restraint as his gaster blasters appeared behind him. The dream didn’t necessarily warrant such a response. However, the other presence… Regardless, he was grateful that he caught himself quickly. It wouldn't do him any favors to blow up the door and subsequently his brother behind it.  
  
"SANS YOU BAG OF LAZY BONES WAKE UP! I NEED YOU TO COME AND GET DRESSED!! DON'T YOU DARE GO BACK TO SLEEP!!" To that he couldn't help but to snort. He couldn't go back to sleep if he tried. The dream was as vivid as it was hazy but there was one part he did remember clearly. One part he couldn't forget if he tried. It had been so long since someone called his name in wingdings that he was tempted to write it off as his mind just fucking with him. But he knew better even if he wasn't willing to admit it yet. Banishing the blasters, Sans placed his hands to his face and took a deep breath. Whatever it was about now was neither the time or the place to think about it. "SANS DON'T MAKE ME DRAG YOU OUT! YOU PROMISED FRISK YOU WOULD DELIVER THE INVITATIONS IN An ORDERLY FASHION AND I INTEND TO MAKE SURE THAT MEANS EARLY!" A sigh escaped him and he lowered his hands.   
  
"Alright Pap, alright. I'm up and I'm getting dressed."

"GOOD! NOW HURRY UP! I AM MAKING PANCAKES AT FRISK'S REQUEST AND IF SHE EATS THEM ALL I'M NOT MAKING MORE FOR YOU!" Sans' grin widened.  
  
“Oh crepe, really?" There was a pause.   
"SANS DON'T YOU DARE!"  
"That's flipping fantastic."  
"SANS, NO." Sans yes.  
"You're the greatest bro. No one stacks up to you." The scream that left Papyrus caused him to chuckle as he listened to his little brother storm off.  
  
It was too early for his own taste but he could hardly complain. Ever since he made a habit of sticking near Frisk, he had been following her schedule of his own accord to make sure the humans stayed in line. How that little girl managed to keep a smile on her face after waking up at 4 am every morning, he would never know. But 8 am was a blessing in comparison. Rising to his feet sluggishly, Sans moved and got dressed. Frisk had given him a mouth full the previous day when he told her he was going to deliver the invitations and had no original intentions on dressing up. He was only going to stop by, hand them the invitations, scare the fear of god into them and judge their souls. What would he need a suit for? But she wasn't going to have none of it.  
  
Appearances matter, she chided. You can't go up to them wearing slippers. His attempts to dissuade her with puns was not successful. With the aid of Aimé, Frisk made sure to find him an outfit suitable for meeting political figures. And he made sure to lose the pieces he was adamant about not wearing. In the end the two compromised and that's how he found himself wearing black dress shoes, suit pants, a black collar shirt with a blue tie and a black vest.

...The kid better be lucky he loved her or he'd rip the suit right off.  
  
He wasn't alone however. Papyrus insisted on coming with him when he was told what was going to take place. He was adamant that Sans would most likely forget to deliver an invitation or sleep through the entire car ride without him there to look over him. It seemed that Aimé also shared those fears, for he was quick to prepare a suite for Papyrus as well. The taller skeleton looked good in his white suite, red collar shirt and black tie. He looked more the part than Sans did anyway.

In spite of Papyrus' warning, the skeleton took his time walking towards the dining hall. Upon entering, all heads turned to him and for a moment he felt conscious of his attire. Yet before anyone could speak, Frisk responded first.  
  
"You look like a mobster." Sans winked at her.  
"I take offense to that kid. I actually quit the mob to be a housekeeper."  
"SANS _—_!!"  
"Now I'm a maid man." 

Papyrus released a sound of utter irritation and glared fiercely at his brother. Frisk, on the other hand, merely placed her hand on her face while lamenting over the fact that she walked right into that one. Aimé sighed at the comical display and shook his head before looking around at the lot while Sans took his seat next to Frisk. He ruffled her hair and received a look of annoyance from her while Aimé spoke.   
  
"I believe everything is in order. The invitations have been written out and sealed with the names of each attendee upon them. Frisk wanted to join you but I insisted that she attend her classes to day." Aimé raised an eyebrow at the little girl who huffed. "Especially when I was informed that she has an examination to day." Sans chuckled. "Nice try kid." Frisk grumbled before shaking her head.

"Focus, bonehead." She placed her fork down and leaned back in her seat. "In truth, I want you to look over all the attendees in terms of judgement however there are a specific few who we really need to look into. Undyne?" The woman stepped up with a stack of papers in her hands and began to read off the list. Papyrus listened intensely while Sans only made mental notes of those he believed would cause more of an issue than the rest. When Undyne finished she scowled. 

"While you two are out and about I'll be starting the changes in security. Today we are getting another twenty monsters from the royal guard to come and help aid us with keeping the manor safe. In another two days’ time we will have some men come to install cameras in almost every area. A station will be set up so that someone is always watching them 24/7. This will take some pressure off of the men when they are resting while making sure we have eyes everywhere." The fish woman moved over to Aimé and handed off some documents towards him. While they spoke, Frisk turned her head to Papyrus and Sans.   
  
"Pap?"  
"YES HUMAN?"  
"I'm trusting you to keep Sans in line. There is a long list you guys have to get through and it need to be done by the end of the week. I don't expect everything to get done in a day, but I do expect it to get done with little naps in between." Papyrus grinned widely and laughed out loud while his brother rolled his eyes.  
  
"I'm not that bad, kid..."  
"NYEH-NYEH-NYEH! FEAR NOT HUMAN! I THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL MAKE SURE THAT MY BROTHER WORKS ACCORDINGLY UNTIL ALL THE INVITATIONS ARE HANDED OUT! THERE WILL BE NO NAPS UNDER MY WATCH!"  
  
Frisk smiled but Sans knew that wasn't the end of the conversation. Breakfast continued on with talks of preparations until it was time to leave. Undyne and Papyrus left first followed by Aimé. In the end, the skeleton found himself walking the little girl to her first class. "Sure you don't want me to teleport to these places, kid? Wouldn't it be quicker?" She shrugged.  
  
"It would be but to be honest, it’s best not to reveal that just yet. I want to keep as many cards in our sleeves as we can." He couldn't argue with that. "Besides, if you ever have to go to these places without your powers you need to know where they are and how to get there. It's slower but it'll help in the end." Once again, no arguments about that.  
  
"Whatever you say."  
"Sans?" He stopped walking as Frisk stopped suddenly and turned to him. "Keep your cool." Her eyes darkened. "I don't want to have to go after stupid men because they baited my family into an attack or into defending themselves. Finish what you can today and come back home." When did he start taking orders from a nine year old? She bristled and crossed her arms over her chest. Whoops. Did he say that out loud? Laughing gently, the skeleton placed a hand on her head.   
  
"Sorry, kid." He rubbed his vertebrae as her pouting intensified.  
"It wasn't an order..."  
  
"Nah you're right." Sans winked. "It was just a strongly suggested course of action that's all." When she released a growl, he snickered. "Calm down, kid. Trust me I don't like being out there any longer than I have to be. The moment me and Pap complete as much as we can for the day, I'll be right back home." Frisk seemed to deflate after that as she folded her gloved hands in front of her. She was worried. Worried about him being gone for so long, worried about what may happen as he was gone... Worried for him.

Ah, kid... Sans raised her face up and relaxed his grin. "It'll be alright, kid. If any of the humans try something, I'll get myself and Papyrus out of there in a moment’s notice." She wasn't convinced. Although she was the one who made the plan in the first place, he wasn't blind toward the kid's anxiety about being without him for a few days. Even though now there was nothing to worry about in terms of the staff, she was put at ease by his presence.  
  
Without warning, the skeleton picked her up and spun her around causing her to gasp and then giggle. When he finally put her down, she raised an eyebrow at him. "What was that for?!"   
"Stop moping. You're supposed to send friends and family off with a smile." He watched as Frisk grinned and kneeled down to allow the little girl to hug him.  
  
"Hurry back, nerd."  
"Yes ma'am." She rolled her eyes and waved before making her way down the hall and to her class. Sans watched her until she made her way into the room and once she was out of sight he disappeared. The moment he appeared in front of his brother outside, he was grabbed and promptly shook.

"SANS WHERE WERE YOU?! DID YOU TAKE A NAP?! I TOLD FRISK I WOULDN'T LET YOU SLACK ON THE JOB!!" Sans' managed, barely, to get out of his brother's hold and after the world stopped spinning, he placed a hand on his head.   
  
"I was walking the kid to class, Pap. You know she's anxious to have us out the manor." Papyrus huffed and placed his hands on his hips.  
"…INDEED. THE HUMAN IS VERY DISTRESSED ABOUT OTHER HUMANS IN THE MANOR TRYING SOMETHING WITHOUT YOU THERE. SHE HAS EVEN MADE SURE THAT UNDYNE IS AROUND WHEN YOU ARE NOT WHEN SHE IS AVAILABLE.” Did she now? Sans scratched the back of his skull. It made sense. Try as she might, Frisk couldn’t hide her nervousness.  
  
“WELL I WILL FORGIVE YOUR LATENESS THIS TIME. BUT WE HAVE TO LEAVE NOW! WE ARE ALREADY TWO MINUTES BEHIND SCHEDULE!” Sans followed his brother into the back of the limo and once they were all set, they took off. Papyrus was in a world in his own for a good five minutes before he began shuffling through papers. “NOW THEN IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE MOST OUT OF OUR MORNING I SUGGEST THAT WE GO TO THE AMBASSADOR OF LUXEMBOURG FIRST.” He handed a small pile of papers over from the stack for Sans to read and continued to speak. Sadly, his voice was drowned out the moment Sans became immersed with the report.

Gabriel Majerus. Age fifty-two. One of Frisk’s biggest opposers and the monsters as well. …He remembered him. Back when Papyrus and Sans played the role of Frisk’s body guards in the first few times she had to address the council; the man did his best to tear the little girl apart. Every argument and compromise she made was thrown back into her face as well as some subtle insults about the company she kept. It was a gut feeling but he was sure that this man would easily give Helena a run for her money when it came to competing for the title of biggest douche.  
  
“—AIME HAS STATED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, WHICH I AM SURE YOU HAVE IGNORED **SANS,** ” Papyrus gave his brother a pointed look gaining his attention again. Sans gave him a sheepish shrug earning him an eye roll. “THAT THE HUMAN HAS TAKEN A VERY HARD INTEREST INTO FRISK’S MENTOR SHIP IN THE MANOR.” Sans rested the papers in his lap.  
  
“Makes sense if he’s determined to undermine Frisk and us at every turn.”  
“QUITE... BUT AIME HAS ALSO STATED HE WAS MORE AGITATED ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO GET TO FRISK FIRST.” Now, he had Sans’ undivided attention. “TO BE HONEST, AIME DID NOT BELIEVE WE SHOULD SPEND SO MUCH EFFORT LOOKING INTO THIS HUMAN. HOWEVER, I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS HAVE DECIDED THAT ANYONE WHO HAS A STRONG INTEREST IN FRISK IS WORTH LOOKING OVER TWICE.” Sans stared at Papyrus and blinked only to widen his grin.  
  
“You’re so cool bro.”  
“NYEH-HEH-HEH! YES, YES, I KNOW!”  
“Cool as ice.”  
“YES I—” Papyrus stopped short and glared at Sans. He inhaled deeply before sighing. “STOP.” Unable to help himself, Sans chuckled but turned his eyes back to the papers in front of him.  
  
“You do have a point though, bro. If he is so against us and Frisk being top side, I can’t help but wonder why he would be so mad that Aimé managed to get to Frisk first with his offer. Not to mention, one of his biggest issues was the fact that a child is taking the role of an ambassador. Why the change of heart…?” Papyrus lowered his papers to set them in his lap before folding his hands.  
  
“I DO NOT KNOW, BROTHER. BUT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT WE PLACE HIM AS OR RULE HIM OUT AS A THREAT BEFORE ANYONE ELSE. I DO NOT HAVE A GOOD FEELING ABOUT HIM.” Preach to the choir about that one… Much to Papyrus’ delight, Sans spent the rest of the ride looking over the papers given to them until the limo came to a stop. Placing them to the side, he looked over at Papyrus.  
  
“Coming, Pap?”  
“AS SURE AS I AM THAT THE HUMAN WOULD VERY MUCH ENJOY MEETING ME, FRISK HAS ASKED ME TO ALLOW YOU TO APPROACH THEM ALONE. IT WOULD BE BEST IF MY GREATNESS DOESN’T INTERFERE WITH YOUR WORK.” The taller skeleton fumbled around for a moment with the papers only to pass Sans an envelope with the ambassador’s last name scribbled across with elegant font. “DO NOT DELAY SANS! WE HAVE MANY OTHER HOMES TO REACH TODAY.” Sans gave his brother a thumbs up before stepping out of the limo.  
  
Within two steps he found himself standing in front of an iron gate and a mansion that rested behind it. Turning towards the intercom, he pressed the button and waited. He didn’t have to wait too long.  
  
“State your business.”  
  
“I come from Ambassador Aimé Donadieu’s manor on the behalf of Ambassador Frisk Dreemurr to deliver a letter of invitation to Monsieur Majerus.” He had a feeling he was going to get tired of that script very quickly despite Aimé’s insistence of it being the proper way to introduce your intent. There was a pause that lingered after he spoke and for a moment, he figured he was going to have teleport into the mansion. Thankfully he was proven wrong. The gates opened up and the intercom went off. “Proceed.”

Taking his sweet time, Sans made his way up to the mansion and once he was to the door it opened. A maid, no older than her early twenties greeted him but he was no fool. He could feel the disdain that came from her. “Monsieur Majerus will take you in his office. Follow me.” The woman waited for him to enter the manor and closed the door after him. Without another word she walked off down the hall only to lead the skeleton to a door. After knocking on it gently the woman spoke in what he could only make out as French. After receiving an answer in kind, she opened the door and gestured for the skeleton to step in. Upon entering, he couldn’t help but feel that things were about to go south if not sour.  
  
Majerus was a short middle-aged man. His hair was kept meticulously pristine as was the rest of his abode. There were frown lines that formed his mouth but there was little doubt that they came from arguing his point rather than simply frowning. He addressed Sans without hesitation.  
  
“It is rather rude to show up to someone’s house unannounced without a previous call or a invitation. Although I do not expect a _monster_ or the child to know this, it is something I would expect from Aimé.” Majerus never looked up from his desk but Sans continued to approach him. It was an arrogance that the skeleton expected from the man, but it was also one that he didn’t appreciate it nonetheless.  
  
“Unfortunately, Monsieur Aimé has decided that this needed to be delivered immediately to give all attendee’s time to prepare.” That seemed to get his attention. Majerus looked up from his papers only to narrow his eyes exceptionally upon locking them with Sans’ own.  
  
“You.”  
“I.”  
“You’re that skeleton that followed the girl around along with the other. She sent her confidant to deliver a message?” The man scoffed and shook his head. “Foolish, girl.” Sans shrugged and closed his eyes.  
  
“What can I say…? When you have someone on your side who is good at their job, it’s hard to rely on anyone else.” He could feel the man’s LOVE the moment he stepped onto the property line; Papyrus’ instincts were spot on. The old man scoffed and rolled his eyes.  
  
“So she can only rely on one monster, a skeleton at that?” Sans’ gave a short laughter and shook his head. “What’s so funny, _monster_?” May the heavens give him strength. Promising Frisk he would hold his tongue and doing so were to very different things. One easier than the other…

  
“You are, _human._ ” He opened his eyes and looked dead at the man. Even though he didn’t summon up his magic visibly he was already looking at the man’s soul. Without explanation, he walked up to the man and held out the invitation. “You are invited.” Majerus made his first mistake when he touched the paper. The proximity was all he needed to get a deeper look at the man’s what made the man tick.  
  
Sans rolled his eyes at the color of the soul. Dark pink. For some it could mean dedication, but for Majerus? Audacity. LV 10 HP 56 AT 28 DF 12. There is no fear in getting his own hands dirty for the sake of gaining what he wishes. However, if he can allow others to get dirty for him, he would. He had plans at work. Sans dropped his hand and shoved both into his pockets. He saw all he needed.  
  
“You are cordially invited to Frisk’s tenth birthday party. We will also be celebrating the alliance between monsters and those under Monsieur Aimé.” Majerus’ temper flared and he looked at the envelope before slamming it down.  
  
“I knew there was something foul going on between the child and Aimé! Alliance?! What is this about, monster?!” Sans clutched his fists within his pockets.  
“Monsieur has taken our ambassador, the child of our king, under his wing. But you knew that already; did you not, human?” He wasn’t so keen on giving the man any more information than that, especially when he realized he had his own plans hidden from him. Majerus stood up and glared at him.  
  
“So she accepted his council is that right? They are now co-conspirators? What is that bitch—” His face was in Majerus’ before he could finish his sentence and a blue wisp like smoke fell between the cracks of his teeth. His eyes sockets blacked out before he could school himself and he did his best to heed Frisk’s words. Keep cool.  
  
“…I don’t like how you address our ambassador, Monsieur Majerus.” The man looked as if he was about to have a heart attack at first. But his arrogance quickly helped him steel his face. Too bad it was a weak façade. Pulling his face back, Sans grin turned more demonic in nature as the smoke subsided. “Our ambassador’s name is Frisk. It would do you well to remember that. If you are unwilling to show you are open to partaking in camaraderie between your people and our own that is alright.”  
  
He could see the sweat drip down Majerus’ face. It wouldn’t be alright; they both knew it. Rejecting the invitation would simply be a slap in the face and would cause the man to show just how opposed he was to Frisk’s presence. The lights returned in Sans’ eyes and the monster turned on his heels. “We would appreciate your response as soon as possible.”  
  
“Monster.” Sans stopped but did not turn around. “You and that little master of yours are playing a game you couldn’t win if you tried.” … ** _Master_?** “You know that don’t you?” Sans remained still before laughing under his breath. He did his best to keep it to himself but Majerus heard him. Needless to say, the man wasn’t amused. “Why are you laughing?” The skeleton reached up and placed a hand to his face.  
  
“I’m sorry. But the fact that you think Frisk is my master is just too much.” He removed his hand and placed it back in his pocket. “Frisk ain’t my master, human.” Looking over his shoulder, his grin widened maliciously. “She’s my kid.”  
  
Without a parting word, the skeleton walked out of the room and followed the maid to the front door. He kept his expression schooled until he got into the limo and upon shutting the door, he looked at Papyrus. “Who’s next?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ding pot, ding pot by the shelf.  
> That lady didn't kill herself. 
> 
> Important note. Wingdings shows up within Google chrome and Microsoft edge. Mobile users, I don't think you'll have a easy time seeing it. This song made me laugh while I was typing this cause I just imagine Sans the whole time like "Goddamn...people." People By The Gorillaz is the name of this game.
> 
> Oh. Here. Merry... Happy Valentines day... Yeh.  
> http://grompe.org.ru/static/wingdings_gaster.html


	11. The Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Red by Chevelle~

“How old are you, Frisk?”  
  
That was a loaded question. She fell into Ebott when she was seven however, she stopped aging when she hit eight. It was after that point where she began to abuse her ability to reset so it wasn’t surprising. Although time didn’t matter, she kept up with the ‘years’ that past, resets or not. If she would have allowed time to flow naturally, she summarized that she would have been about sixteen now. Not that it mattered. The moment she did allow time to flow, as it should have, it became clear that no matter how many ‘years’ had passed, she still had the mentality of a eight year old when it came to somethings. Her pension for losing her temper for one and her naivety when it came to another. So perhaps it was best to answer her father properly.  
  
“Nine.”  
  
Asgore had collected Frisk personally that Friday night and brought her home. Sans was still busy with delivering the invitations and he wouldn’t hear anything of it when the she told him she would wait for him. She was rather surprised when the delivery of the invitations went into the weekend but he assured her they would be done Saturday. She had the feeling however, that he was taking his time on purpose to dissect every single attendee in order please his paranoia about the event coming up. That was fine by her. After all, that’s the reason she pushed him to do it in the first place.

While Sans tended to the outside affairs with Papyrus, she worked with Aimè. Breakfast was now a mini work session where she would move with the man to plan out different odds and ends for her birthday. She became so engulfed in it all that she practically forgot about returning home for the weekend. It surprised her to see her father dressed up when he picked her up and to see him alone but she didn’t question it at first. She believed they would be going home but instead of doing so she was pleasantly surprised when he brought her to a restaurant. The conversation was light for the most part or so it was until the king became serious and asked her that question. He smiled at her gently.  
  
“How old are you really, child?” Frisk stared at the man before frowning deeply.  
“…If I accumulate the years, I spent in spite of the resets, I am sixteen going on seventeen. However, to simplify things I count properly with the years now. My first surface birthday happened when not to long after we came up. Therefore, when the humans ask, when our family asks, I say nine.” She grinned playfully. “But I will be ten, of course, in December.” Asgore looked down at his plate.  
“Sixteen… Eight years is a long time spent replaying the world as you know it.”  
“Nine.” The king raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t surprised his that he was confused, the math often confused her herself. "Did you not seem... Younger when we were underground?"  
“You probably are recounting deja vu of the years when I was younger. When I woke up in the ruins, I was seven years old. I stopped aging when I was eight.” The man frowned.  
“That’s… You were so young…” Frisk smiled and shrugged.  
“Age is nothing but a number father. You’d be surprised what horrors a child can be subjugated too.” Then again, he wouldn’t or rather shouldn’t be surprised. Looking down she picked up her fork and cut in to her cake. “You’re really bad at subtlety, papa.” Asgore released a deep laughter and sighed.  
  
“I suppose I am.”  
“Its okay. I still love you.” The king laughed at his child once more but she didn’t react to it. Frisk ate the piece and hummed happily only to look up at her father. “So, what’s wrong, papa? What’s on your mind?” Asgore paused for a moment as if summoning the words to speak.  
“How are your studies going, child? I have received word from Aimé that he plans to host a celebration for your birthday within the manor for us to attend.” The king leaned back in his chair and his daughter watched him curiously. “I have the feeling there is more to it however.”  
  
Ah, so that was what this was about… She was fairly sure now would be the best time to tell her father everything that had taken place within the manor. She hesitated to tell him anything about Helena but she would rather tell him than to tell Toriel. Originally she had no intention of ever telling her parents. Yet, she knew it was better to tell Asgore than to let it be exposed out of her control. Sighing, she looked up at him with a indignant look.  
  
“This…is going to be a lot. But promise me I won’t be in trouble… Or Sans… Or Aimé… Or Undyne…. Or—”  
“Frisk.” The little girl stopped short and looked sheepishly as she began to speak.  
  
“I wasn’t lying. I do love it at the manor. It’s... Nice to be around humans who are nice. Humans who can teach me what I need to know. I’ve even started learning French though, I think that’s because Aimé enjoys speaking in French more than English…” She averted her eyes. “But at first not every human was willing to accept my presence… There was this lady… Madam Helena. She was my etiquette teacher. She was really helpful and taught me a lot of useful things that I—”  
  
**_“Frisk.”_**  
  
She was sugar coating it. Padding the situation, a lot more than she would normally need to. She knew it, he knew it… Frisk folded her hands in her lap and squeezed them.  
  
“Helena hated me. Despised me. She wanted to make my life miserable and I allowed her to do as she wished. The reason for it is I believed that she could never do much harm… At first, that is. It started with a shove. Then a hand slap… Then it got worse. I didn’t tell anyone but the others understood something was going on. I deterred Papyrus and Undyne but you know Sans still knew something was up.” Frisk fidgeted under her father’s gaze. He kept his expression schooled but she could feel his rage. “I know Papyrus and Sans told you they moved into the manor to help out. That’s… a half truth. Papyrus came over the day before they announced that to have cooking lesson with me, yes. But just as I was to leave Helena came and immediately began to insult him as she insulted me. I lost my temper and in turn…well, I cursed her out.” She reached out and scratched her head. “And in return, she snatched me up and dragged me away. Papyrus ran to get Sans but as he did I was promptly punished.” Slowly but surely, the little girl moved to remove her glove. She revealed the scars and did her best to ignore her father’s growls.

“She continually lashed at my hands with a ruler. As she did, she continued to speak about you, about Toriel and the rest of the family…” Her eyes darkened as she turned them to Asgore. “However, the thing that made me snap was when she spoke about my mother. My birth mother… I was so mad I lunged at her.” Frisk put the glove back on her hand and sighed. “Chara isn’t within me any longer, papa… but…” She lowered her walls and allowed her father to experience her LV. “My LOVE is still there from the genocides… So, when I went after Helena I went after blood.” For a moment she fell into the memory of the incident before looking up.  
  
“But Sans stopped me. He managed to restrain me and sent me off with Papyrus. It’s kinda funny though because not to long after, I found myself bolting down the hall to stop him from killing her. Aimé fired her promptly after and she was arrested. But no punishment we could ever give her is as bad as what Sans did.” Asgore remained silent as he stared into her eyes. She had forgotten just how intense her father could be but the reminder came when he scowled.  
  
“Monsieur Aimé promised your complete and utter safety under his watch.”  
“Papa you can’t be mad at a man for not acting when he doesn’t know he needs too. I should have told everyone immediately.”  
“That you should have. But whether you are sixteen or five you are still a child and he is the adult. It is up to him to recognize the issues before anyone else should. Especially since he invited you there.” He wouldn’t hear her argument especially after seeing her scars. He reached out a clawed hand for her own and she gave him hers. Gently, the king removed her glove and traced over the scars as his eyes darkened further. “I will speak to Aimé about this.”  
  
“That isn’t necessary, papa.” Asgore met her eyes.  
“I believe though you say you understand your importance, you do not really understand it at times child.” He released her hand. “I am angry that this took place. I am angry that you and the others did not tell me about the situation. I do not want to have to go through extremes to make sure you keep me in the loop. To some degree I understand why you did not tell your mother. But I will not be kept in the dark. From now on when something in kind happens you will tell me, understood?” Frisk began to retort but the look on his face stopped her.  
  
“I understand, papa…” She sighed only to cover her hand with the glove swiftly. “Be that as it may… That was a month ago… Ever since Aimé has taken measures to get rid of every threat in the staff. But we suspect a few who have left have opened their mouths. The ambassadors know now that we have an alliance though they don’t know the full details.” Frisk leaned back in her chair suddenly uninterested in the cake that rested upon her plate. “There is a tradition between them, one where the ambassadors attend each other’s birthdays. On December 22nd we will not only celebrate my birthday but the alliance. We will announce it properly in order to let everyone know where I stand with Monsieur Aimé.” Turning her head, she looked out the window.  
  
“But I advised to do more than that. I asked for Sans to deliver the invitations.”  
“Sans?”  
“Aye. The others were shocked by my request as well until I explained. We cannot allow another threat so close to me without being aware of the issues they may pose…” A smile overcame her as pride in her decision filled her. “So, I sent Sans to judge each and every one of the attendees beforehand. You know as well as I what he can do, papa. It was the only real decision.” Turning her head back she shrugged. “But for right now that’s everything. He’s actually out delivering the invitations now. Has been for two days. I’m kinda proud of him for not taking naps in between but to be honest, that’s probably Papyrus’ doing.” She waited for Asgore’s approval and watched as he leaned back.  
  
“Though enraged by your unwillingness to tell me what happened with your teacher, I am proud of you for taking over this situation.” She released a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “I will speak to Toriel and tell her we are attending a celebration for your birthday as well as to celebrate our people’s joining.” The king narrowed his eyes at her. “You will have to come up with a reason on your own however if she ever sees your hands.” Frisk shrugged.

“I’m a nine year old who has a pension for trouble. It will not be to hard to find a reason.” Her father shook his head and gestured for her to continue her dessert. The two fell into light conversations but as he finished his food, Asgore hesitated to speak.  
  
“When is the last time you spoke to Asriel…?”  
  
Frisk paused her movements before placing the fork down. She didn’t know where this was going but she didn’t like it at all. When she brought Flowey out of the underground she along with Sans, surprisingly enough, managed to help the flower feel _something._ It had taken months but they managed. They had believed they had done enough to bring him into the group but the moment Frisk offered it…  
  
“To be honest? Last September. I tried to get him to come into the group but… with you and Toriel there he wasn’t having it. I don’t know how much Sans’ revealed to you when he explained everything but, despite Flowey’s change… He isn’t keen on being near you.” Her heart broke at the sight of her father’s face falling but he was quick to attempt to hide it. “Its not because of hatred or anger, papa. However, it reminds Flowey too much of who he used to be. It reminds him of who he can’t be…”

“Despite his fears… he is still our Asriel.” Frisk smiled sadly. No, Flowey was not… “When he is ready we will welcome him back with open arms… Perhaps one day we can restore him back to how he was.” If he wanted to go back to how he was before. Still she nodded in response. From there on the king kept the conversation light and soon the two found themselves on their way home. The king was hardly surprised when Frisk fell asleep in the car but he didn’t dare wake her when they arrived. Picking her up gently, The king took her into their home and moved to take her to her room. Toriel came the moment she heard their arrival.  
  
“There you two are—oh… Oh look…” Toriel smiled at the sight of Frisk and chuckled. “My… Our child is easily lulled to sleep by the movements of a car isn’t see?” Asgore snorted lightly but nodded.  
  
“She was fairly tired when I picked her up to begin with. She studies hard.” Unwilling to disturb her more than he needed too, the king removed the child’s coat and shoes before tucking her into bed.  
“Well, it is best we allow her to sleep.” She placed a hand on Asgore’s arm and smiled up at him. “Alphys is going to come over and share a movie with me. I do believe she is quite lonely now that Undyne spends a good time at the manor. Would you like to join us?” Asgore shook his head but leaned down to kiss Toriel’s forehead.  
  
“Perhaps later. I have some business I need to attend too.” The woman nodded and turned to walk away as he watched her leave. He remained in the doorway of Frisk’s room for a moment or so, looking over the sleeping child’s form before closing his eyes and sighing. It was best she was asleep… Closing the door, the king made his way to his office, minding his potted plants that rested around the room. Once he sat down, the man looked at his telephone before picking it up and dialing a number. He leaned back and closed his eyes as he waited patiently for the other side to pick up and once they did he released a deep breath.  
  
“Hello?”  
“Hello, I speak to Monsieur Aimé?”  
“Who may I say is calling?”  
  
The king opened his eyes, keeping them half lidded as his iris glowed to express his inner rage.  
  
“King Asgore Dreemurr.”

* * *

"Would you like some more tea?"  
  
The monster raised his hand to pass off on the offer as he placed his half full cup down. In his time with the monsters, Aimé found that there was little that he truly feared amongst them. Although Papyrus was intimidating, the skeleton was kindhearted and couldn't hurt a fly. Undyne was a threat in her own right yes, but even see showed more traits of loyalty, kindness and a sense of duty than maliciousness. No out of the group there were two he truly feared; the guard dog and the king. There was a obvious reason for fearing Sans. The skeleton was clearly and firmly on Frisk's side and sought to do things for her betterment. Yet, even Frisk admitted that despite her words and how he followed them, the skeleton's thoughts were a enigma to her as well. A being that could be everywhere was something that shouldn't be taken lightly.

But it was the small taste of his power when he took care of Helena that really instilled his fear. Even though the skeleton had been satisfied with his attempts to rectify the pain his ignorance had caused Frisk, he knew he was never forgiven truly within. He knew that if he ever messed up like that again, the skeleton wouldn't waste time judging him. Sans would simply deal with him and the consequences that came with it with out remorse. The thought alone increased his fear of him. There was, however, one who rose above the rest.   
  
The instant he received the phone call and heard the tone of the monarch's voice, he knew he had been told. Aimé did not argue when Asgore asked to come over the next morning nor did he inquire upon the reason for his tone. He was lucky that by morning, the king seemed to be calmer from what his tone indicated the previous night. There was no saving him from his scathing words that were to come though. Sans had promised not to tell the king however, the moment he got the call he realized Frisk never promised anything. The king folded his hands in his lap and stared at the human intently.   
  
"I received your invitation to the celebration of our people's unification as well as Frisk's birthday. Upon picking her up I took my little one to the side and asked her about her time under your roof so far." He paused. "When I left my daughter under your care I believed that you would truly watch over her. That she would be safe." Aimé moved to speak, but the king raised his hand again to stop him. "You will listen when I speak." The force he placed into his voice stunned the Frenchmen back into silence. "When I left my heir here I never believed she would return home with scars from a incident that shouldn't have even happened."  
  
Asgore inhaled deeply as he turned his head to look out the window. "Do you have children, Aimé?" This question caught the man off guard.  
"No." The king closed his eyes. There were somethings you could never describe to another person. No matter how hard you tried, no matter how much you yearned to express it; there were never any words one could use for some things. One of those things was the lost of a child. When Chara died, his heart broke for the little girl he had taken under his wing as his own. In the moment, he didn't believe it mattered if she was of his blood or not. That the loss would be one of the worst... He was quickly shown not too soon after that he was wrong. Oh so wrong... Losing Asriel placed the boss monster into a state of grief that quickly turned him into a warmongering lord. And in the moment, he didn't regret it in the least. Why should he? Here were these humans who knew nothing of them, who they had never bothered and without remorse they took his son away.  
  
Took his baby boy away.  
  
The moment Asriel passed he could feel it within every fiber of his being. Toriel could as well, he knew it. But he also knew his wife's sense of right and wrong was quick to overwhelm her sense of grief. He wished that he could say the same, but he could not. There was nothing he wanted more in that moment than to see the humans suffer the same way they made his heir, his child, his little boy suffer. Things were different now... Time spent with the loss of the two children and then his wife made his anger move from rage to grief. In his heart, he knew that hadn't been for the little girl he considered his now, he would still be in the pit of the mountain grieving loved ones lost.  
  
So even though he wanted him to understand... Even though he wanted nothing more than to tell the Frenchmen what it was like, how seeing his last remaining resemblance of a heir bare scars that should have never been laid upon her flesh made him feel, it would be a useless endeavor. But that didn't mean that he couldn't put it into layman's terms...  
  
"Then perhaps there are no words to explain the level I would go to in order to keep her safe; in order to keep her happy and make sure that no one, human or monster, ever hurts her again." Asgore smiled at Aimé but the act only put him on edge. "My wife shows her emotions more outwardly than I truly. She is quick to open her mouth where as I am content in seeing Frisk move upon her own will, guiding her when needed. But how I feel about my daughter is no different than Toriel. If anything it is just as fierce. Frisk is and always will be my baby girl. No matter how many responsibilities she takes on. No matter what political title she is given. It is because of that I have decided to speak to you to day." Aimé fidgeted in his seat under as the king opened his eyes revealing a unearthly glow to them. 

"I will not go after anyone for the situation that has happened. I recognize Frisk's own part in it for not telling anyone. And to my knowledge, Sans has adequately taken care of the situation. But if I ever see another mark upon my little girl that took place under your care..." I am afraid the alliance will be worth nothing." He cocked his head to the side and slowly the glow left his eyes. "From this point on, I will be kept in the loop. If Frisk fails to rely information to me, I do expect you to do so as a sign of good faith." Aimé swallowed in nervousness but nodded all the same.  
  
"I do apologize for the situation that took place... I am remorseful that Frisk's time here was slightly defined by the scars on her hands." Asgore dropped the look and smiled softly.   
"I believe you my friend. If anything is needed for the celebration, do not hesitate to contact me. I implore you to continue keeping my little one safe."  
  
Or else...  
  
"I intend to, Asgore. I will still make good on my promise to you and your wife." The king nodded gently before reaching out and taking his tea cup.  
"I believe you, Aimé. Now, tell me about these men who will come to her birthday..."

* * *

_“No. I don’t believe you.”  
…  
“I want more than just words.”  
…  
“I’ve heard you say them before…”  
…  
“I won’t trust you no more.”  
  
The child peaked through the door as she watched the woman inside with avid curiosity. She was supposed to be asleep. She was supposed to be in her room but… Her mother’s foot steps woke her and found herself restless.  
  
“I. Don’t. Trust. You. No matter how many years we’ve worked together, I refuse to allow you near her… No. No, I don’t believe. Not for a second.” The woman didn’t hesitate to hang up and when she did, she spun on her heels. The child gasp, immediately giving herself away. When the woman turned around to look at where the noise came from her face remained hidden behind visible static. Still, the child didn’t seem afraid no not at all. Frisk was surprised at that, after all—her face was consumed by it as well…  
  
“Is there a gremlin at my door?” The little girl huffed and pushed the door opened.  
“I’M NO GREMBLIN!” Unable to help herself, the mother laughed before walking up to the little girl and picking her up.  
“Of course! You couldn’t be a gremlin, because all gremlins are asleep right now!” The woman spun the laughing child around before hugging her closer.  
  
…Frisk’s soul hurt at the sight.  
  
“I’m awake! I can’t be a gremlin!”  
“That’s right. And you’re to silly to be one too. What does daddy call you?” The little girl huff.  
“Frisky Frisk.” Her mother laughed much to the child’s dismay. “I AM NOT FRISKY FRISK! I AM FR—”_

* * *

“FRISK!!”

 _  
_ The little girl jolted up with a gasp as her soul appeared before her, the red heart illuminated the darkness. She barely gained a second before her door was pounded on once more. “HUMAN ARE YOU AWAKE?!” Freaking… _Now_ she was. Frisk took a deep breath and messaged her temples as her soul faded back within her. She could almost hear Sans telling her to mind her mouth as she addressed Papyrus.  
  
“Now I am Papyrus…”  
“MY APOLOGIES HUMAN HOWEVER, LAST NIGHT SANS AND I COMPLETED THE LIST OF ATTENDEES.” Frisk looked over at her clock at her desk and scowled deeply.  
“Papyrus. Its Sunday morning at nine am. This is the only time I get to sleep; this couldn’t wait?” Her mood wasn’t deterred by the uncertain shuffling she heard outside.  
“MY APOLOGIES HUMAN BUT SANS IS ALREADY GATHERING SOMETHINGS TO SHOW YOU. WE MUST MAKE USE OF HIS PROACTIVE NATURE BEFORE HE FALLS ASLEEP ONCE MORE—!” Papyrus jumped back a bit as She door flung open. Unwilling to fix herself up, Frisk walked out of the room with her shirt pulled out of her pants, bare feet and a crow’s nest she called hair. She couldn’t find it in her heart to glare at Papyrus even in her pissy mood. But she did pout.  
  
“I’m up.” Rubbing her hand over her face, she sighed. “Where is Sans?”  
“HE’S IN ASGORE’S OFFICE! THE KING HAS BEEN GONE SINCE EARLY THIS MORNING AND HAS ALLOWED US TO USE THE SPACE WHILE HE’S GONE.” Frisk grumbled but before she could make a quip, Papyrus placed a hand on her head. “DO NOT WORRY FRISK! TO MAKE UP FOR HAVING TO WAKE SO EARLY ON YOUR DAY OFF I WILL MAKE YOU A STACK OF BUTTERSCOTCH CINNAMON SYRUP PANCAKES!!” Frisk smiled and stretched before proceeding to make her way to the office.  
  
“Thanks, Pap.”  
“NYEH-HEH-HEH!!”  
  
Frisk didn’t even get to touch the door before it opened for her. She walked into the room and crossed her arms over her chest. “I am surprised that you are asking for me to wake up this early. I’m surprised you’re even up this early.”  
  
“Trust me, kid, the moment I’m finished with this I’m taking a three week nap.” Frisk snorted and rolled her eyes before approaching the desk. She sat down and sighed.  
“So what did you find—oomph!” Frisk grunted as a small pamphlet fell into her lap. At first, she looked at the skeleton heatedly only to have her curiosity peak as she opened the book. Upon scanning the pages, she groaned and looked at Sans. “You’ve got to be kidding. Pap made a pamphlet? IN THREE DAYS?” Sans chuckled and shrugged.  
“What can I say? My bro’s productive.”  
“Your brother is going to kill me by means of over working.” The skeleton ignored her as she crossed her legs.  
“That’s a run through of the small fries. People who are on the fence who will easily be swayed or those who are genuinely curious and willing to work with you.” Frisk raised an eyebrow but he continued before she could speak. “It was easier to compile those people into one list—”  
“Pamphlet.”  
“—Together than waste time talking about each one.” The little girl scan through the pamphlet’s pages once more only to close it and place it on the desk.  
  
“You didn’t bring me here to talk about these men. Who was the biggest issue?” Sans remained silent and for a moment she pondered if she would have to tell him to speak. He soon did.  
“Monsieur Gabriel Majerus.” Frisk narrowed her eyes at the name. “The man is as arrogant as he is devious and that much is clear just from speaking to him. But when I checked his soul, I found a reason to worry.” Sans closed his eyes half way. “What’s your LOVE at kid?” She blinked. Why was he asking…? It wasn’t like he didn’t already know.  
  
“Twenty, just like yours, you know that. Our only difference is my stats rose with my level.” She still didn’t understand why Sans’ stats didn’t. “Why ask a question you know the answer to?”  
“Ever met a human whose level is in the double digits?” Frisk paused but shook her head.  
“Unless they are military officials, criminals, police officers or you know straight up murderous psychopaths, no. Not amongst the ambassadors that is. The ambassadors only have baby levels one or two. Why?” The skeleton sighed and shook his head.  
“In your words, this just got troublesome. Majerus’ level is ten making him the worse being who will attend.” Ten...? Was he... serious? Frisk stared at him in disbelief only to bite her lip. 

“Sans... It took a lot of deaths for me to get to level ten.” She looked at her hands. "By the time I was level seven I had killed about twenty residents of the Ruins, mama, Doggo, Dogamy and Dogaressa, Greater Dog, Snowdrake..." Her eyes closed. "And about sixteen residence of Snowdin..." Including Papyrus... The thought left a sour taste in her mouth but she continued and looked up. "By the time I had reached sixteen all the lesser boss monsters were dead... And most of the others... It was only when I got pass you and killed papa that my LOVE reached twenty." And she despised it. "If Majerus is at ten then..." Frisk tried to trail her thoughts off but Sans continued on.  
  
"Then he, whether directly or indirectly, has a pool of blood flowing from his hands." Frisk shuddered at the tone of Sans' voice but the skeleton remained stoic. "It took multiple runs to get up to twenty myself seeing as Chara wouldn't always take over each reset. I digress... Majerus has been a busy boy before we have even entered the picture. I summarize his level was growing before you had even been born." His grin turned tense. "Perhaps we can get Aimé to look into his more... shady practices."  
  
It was...unnerving to say the least. It was bad enough that this man had such a level of violence but to know that he had an interest in her with it...   
"Aye, we’ll call Monsieur after breakfast..." Sans hummed but her tone of wariness wasn’t missed by him.

"Problem, kid?" Where should she even start? With the psychopath that was angry he couldn't have her on his side? Or with the fact that said psychopath has had to have had a hand in deaths of a hand full of people based on his level alone?

"A few... Have you felt anyone else's LOVE?" He nodded.  
"Four. All these ambassadors range from level one to four. If we compared them to your experience--"   
"Those four have about twenty some odd deaths upon their hands, average..."  
"Give or take." The skeleton pushed four vanilla folders towards the little girl and she picked them up gingerly. "The thing that struck me as odd is three out of the four are rather close with Majerus." Frisk raised an eyebrow.  
  
"And the fourth?" He shrugged and in frustration, she released a light scream.  
  
"Fucking—"  
**_"Language."  
_**  
"Freaking—ugh." Frisk frowned deeply. "Okay, just... We have the information we need." She moved, stood up and moved to walk to the door. "For now, let’s take a break. We're going to make the wrong decision or act to brash." The skeleton nodded and stretched in his seat. "I highly doubt that Aimé will understand anything we have to say when it comes to LOVE... But he will understand if we tell him something seemed off about Majerus. I have faith that he will fill in the blanks we are missing." Upon reaching the door, she turned around. "We need to... Sans?"  
  
The sounds of light snores caught her off guard and unable to help herself, she looked at the skeleton in utter disbelief. In his seat, Sans slept soundly. The stress and tiredness of the past few days caught up to him and the moment he knew Frisk was informed he passed out. Frisk huffed lightly but moved to him regardless. With little thought she hugged him and smiled just a bit. "Perhaps its best to let sleeping dogs lie." She held back her laughter as she watched his grin twitch at her bad joke and left him to sleep in peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo her name isn't Frisky Frisk.
> 
> Its ☹⚐☹ ☠⚐📪 ☝☜❄ 👎🕆☠😐☜👎.
> 
> Got it memorized. Maybe two more chapters then its PARTY TIME~!  
> SPOILER ALERT: Majerus is a ass.


	12. Rollin' Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rollin' Girl By Wowaka
> 
> To those who translated my message: lololololol.  
> One comment on it had me dying.  
> IMPORTANT: I'm doing Frans week. Probably one shots of this world with Frisk all grown up. It will be spoiler free and just a cute add on thing. If you wanna be on top of when I start it the sub to me cause I'm not plugging it in this again.
> 
> WHATS FRANS WEEK?! This:  
> https://66.media.tumblr.com/e71d6ed3495d1f2bb8b2109e7d337e35/624ae88da19f65fe-ea/s1280x1920/384d6e5fdc3c1b516b72d54819a2ac6151e81466.png

Alphys thought at first that she would have a hard time when it came to adjusting without Undyne. Her wife often was the one to drag her into social interactions and now that the skeleton bros were gone as well there was very little get togethers if Frisk wasn’t home. But it didn’t mean she was idle. She still had her hang outs with the king and queen occasionally. Not to mention, living on the surface opened her up to a number of new animes and mangas. She absorbed them quickly each time she went on to a new one. It got to the point where she found herself frequently going into town to pick up new ones as she waited for updates. Life above the underground wasn’t all butterscotch pie and anime however. There wasn’t a day that went by where a new issue didn’t arrive.

They were usually minor issues like new sicknesses, discovering what foods were good and bad for monsters, how different environments affected different monsters etc. They were all issues too small to truly bother Frisk with and certainly ones Sans wouldn’t give a second thought towards. And so Alphys worked long and hard to do her best to help her people. Usually when Undyne came home it was as if only a little time had passed each and every time. Although she was happy it didn’t erase the regrets in the back of her mind. Inbetween everything, Alphys did her best to look after the Amalgamates. They were back with their families and honestly, they were all doing…fine. If she could even say that… But if she could help in any way possible considering what she had done she would do it and more.

After all, there was one person she would never be able to payback for her crimes against them.

That morning was nothing different from typical Monday mornings. She had breakfast with her wife and the others and was present with the queen and king when it was time to see them off. Even though they had been married for some time, Alphys still gave a nervousness smile when Undyne kissed her.  
“See ya later, hun! Don’t you stay in the house all day! Get some sun!” Alphys laughed gently under her breath and waved at the woman.  
“I-I will! Promise!” Undyne blew her one last kiss before shoving Papyrus into the limo and shutting the door. She watched the limo drive away and after a brief conversation with the king and queen she departed for her home. There wasn’t much planned out for the rest of her day truthfully. She was going to go straight home and look at the new episode of the revise version of Mew Mew Kissy Cutie but perhaps it would be best to get some air.  
  
Her feet led her through the scenic route in her journey to return home. She didn’t mind. The park that was close to their home was rather beautiful and she couldn’t help but liken it to a forest sometimes. Alphys’ mind become occupied quickly while she walked by the world around her. No matter how much time she spent on the surface she still couldn’t believe that they were there. She couldn’t believe that they had made it. The smile upon her face grew. Perhaps she wouldn’t go home so quickly. Maybe she would go back to the cafe Undyne took her to and get one of this match green tea lattes. Maybe she would even get an extra one to take home. She smiled at the thought of her wife’s reaction to the drink the first time they had it and chuckled under her breath.

Alphys knew that her wife would appreciate the treat considering the stress she went through at the manor. Undyne, despite what she would say, was absolutely overwhelmed when it came to overlooking the security of the manor. She didn’t have an army like she did in the underground, it was only her and a hand full of humans set aside to make sure that Frisk didn’t get hurt or worse. It wasn’t as if her wife wasn’t up to the task but she knew the woman had originally underestimated what it meant to be head of security for their ambassador above ground. One human child was one thing, a possible legion of human men who wanted nothing but to see them fall was another. By how the fish woman spoke of how she’s seen Frisk handle things so far, Alphys was surprised the child wasn’t cracking under the weight of it all.

Alphys stopped and held her head up towards the sky. The sun felt so warm against her skin and she couldn’t help but to smile as a breeze past her by. The sounds of rustling stopped her and the woman opened her eyes thinking that she would see an animal run by or perhaps some leaves that were disturbed by the wind. What she saw instead made her heart stop.   
  
Gold. Small. Soft. There was no denying it even if she wanted to. Her eyes followed the petals to see where they were coming from only to be directed to a small path. It branched off of the main road and was relatively concealed by the brush that surrounded it. If you didn’t look to closely you would walk right past it and in her heart, she wanted nothing more than to ignore its existence. Maybe she should just go to the cafe. She could continue walking straight and act like none of this ever happened. It wouldn’t be to hard too. All she had to do was make sure that she was seen and she could pretend like nothing happened. Just like before… Just like she had with the Amalgamates… And look how that all turned out…  
  
She could ignore it all or maybe, just maybe, she could own up to her mistake. This time without being prompted to. Rubbing her hands anxiously, she swallowed the lump that grew in her throat and took small, meek steps to follow the petal path. In her mind she continued to pray to whatever god, deity, whatever she could think of that she was wrong. But her prayers weren’t answered.

In the middle of a patch of golden flowers, rested one particular flower with a green stem and a face. With its eyes close, the flower reached up towards the sky, taking in the warmth that it gave so willingly. It amazed her how he high he was able to stretch up. It was a curious sight to see this flower, who usually stayed under a foot, reach his stem up to the height of a grown man in order to be more directly into the sun light. Yet, perhaps she shouldn’t have been that surprised after all he was in the ground. With his connection to the earth it was only a wonder what he could do… Could he even feel the sun? Could he feel the warm of if it was just a reaction due to his plant like nature? Even though her memories of him where unpleasant she couldn’t help but to notice how, perhaps the first time ever to him, the plant seemed… Calm. This was a bad idea. She shouldn’t have intruded. She needed to leave. She needed too—  
  
The thought was quickly pushed away as her mouth spoke before her brain could react.  
“Flowey...” The flower stiffened and immediately turned its face towards the reptile. At first his face was one of shock but it quickly turned to one of disgust, of hatred.   
“My, my, if it isn’t the reptile bitch. Oh, excuse me let me try again. If it isn’t the failed excuse of a scientist.” Alphys jerked as if physically hurt by his words but didn’t speak. “I’m surprised your numb nut self could find the path I’m on. I guess you aren’t that stupid after all.” The royal scientist bit her lip.  
  
“W-What are y-you doing here?” The flower rolled his eyes.  
“I live here you moron. What else would I be doing?” He sneered at her and the woman flinched lightly. Well at least he wasn’t attacking her again.  
“B-but Frisk s-said—" Flowey extended his stem and stuck his face in hers.   
  
“Stop fucking stuttering! Damn I still can’t believe they made you the royal scientist! You don’t hold a fucking candle to him!” To…who? He pulled his face back before she could ask and snorted. “Frisk doesn’t know I am back around this way and I prefer it that way. I am only here to check up on them before I go my way again.”  
“G-go—" The flower glared at her darkly, promising silently pain if she didn’t stop stuttering. Alphys cleared her throat and tried again. “Go away? But everyone is here...”

“No shit Sherlock. That’s even more of a reason to get out. With a group that has Frisk and a scientist that thinks they can play god nothing good can come from anything you lot do.” Alphys looked down and bit her lip as she scrambled for something to say. Unknown to her, her unconscious fidgeting became excessive. Flowey twitched the first few times before grinding his teeth and finally losing his patience. “Oh my fucking god, what the hell is it?! If you twitch one more time, I swear to god I’m going to rip my own petals out!” Shocked out of her anxious actions, Alphys jumped with a small gasp before taking a step back.  
  
“S-S-Sorry! I-I mean— Sorry I—” Flowey’s annoyance turned into exasperation and he shook his head.  
“What the hell do you want?”  
“What…?”  
“What do you want? You heard me. You wouldn’t have followed this path if you didn’t have the balls to attempt to say something to me. Out with it.”   
  
It went without saying that Alphys was horrid when it came to being put on the spot. Now when it came to being put on the spot and having to face the prince of your race who you genetically destroyed and turned into an emotionless plant— well, to say she was a mess was putting it lightly. But as he nerves grew with her anxiety she began to fidget again and with her fidgeting came Flowey’s anger. Before he could even give a scathing remark though, Alphys combusted.  
  
“I’M SORRY.”  
  
A pin dropping could have been heard in the area and for a time the two merely stared at each other. For Alphys her silence came from her shock, from her fear at the retaliation he might give in the face of her apology. For what were her words worth? Truly? She was a failure as a scientist. She did more harm than good and even though she did her best to make up for her past mistakes it didn’t matter. She had ruined so many lives and even the lives of the monarchy by turning their deceased son, their beloved child into this. This soulless flower. She fought to hold back her own hopelessness but it welled up within her eyes regardless. Alphys opened her mouth to explain herself but was cut off quickly.  
  
“…I don’t want your apology. I don’t want your damn sorrow.” A vine struck out quickly and swept itself under Alphys’ feet sending her to the ground. By the time she opened her eyes from closing them upon impact, Flowey’s face was in hers. “What I want is for you to fix what you did to me. You did this to me and yet you never, ever tried to turn me back. You want to apologize? You want me to forgive you?” Another vine reached out and smashed down viciously against the ground near Alphys’ head. “Then change me **back**.” The rage was clear in his voice but what was also clear was the desperation. His longing to be how he was before she made him into what he was. Flowey pulled back quickly upon realizing what his tone gave off and scowled as he turned away. “Piss off you fucking lizard. Leave me alone.”

Immediately, the flower moved to retract into the ground and before Alphys could speak she was alone. The clearing’s silence only broke her down further as she allowed her tears to fall. Unwilling to anger the flower further in case he was to return however, she picked herself up and ran out of the area. Or so she thought. In truth, Alphys ran down the concealed path, down the main one and out of the park. Her feet continued to push her until she was finally home, safe from the world of mistakes she had left behind. The moment the door was closed she pressed her back against it and slid down. There was no stopping the sobs that left her but it wasn’t self-pity.  
  
How many life times had Flowey lived through what she had put him through due to each and every reset? How many times had he attempted to change things only to feel nothing? Her sobs grew as she weighed her soul down with the thoughts that plagued her. No apology would ever be strong enough to make up for what she did to him. She may have made her piece with the Amalgamates but Flowey couldn’t come back to his family. Flowey couldn’t rejoin everyone. How could he when he wasn’t even who they remembered?

Soon her tears dried up and she placed a hand over her heart. She could never make up for what she did… Alphys rose and moved out of the foyer to make her way down into the basement. But what she could do, was try to change his future for the better.

* * *

She was not amused.

Normally on Monday mornings, Frisk was allowed once in a while to have breakfast with her family. Though she was usually rushed to the manor afterwards to take her classes, she enjoyed being a part of the routine she once called her own. She had missed her mother and her father and, although she would spend the holidays with them after the party, she wanted to enjoy all the time she could with them. Aimé had always respected that time and never interrupted it…  
There was a first time for everything.  
  
“DO NOT WORRY HUMAN! IF AIMÉ IS SUMMONING US BACK TO THE MANOR SO EARLY THERE MUST BE A GOOD REASON!” She said nothing. A few moments prior, Frisk had been sitting in front of a nice stack of butterscotch and cinnamon pancakes, laughing with her family and telling puns and trying to steal a sausage off of Sans’ plate without waking him up… Now she found herself in the back of the limo her mentor sent for her with her entourage as she attempted to calm her annoyance. “AFTER ALL IT IS MONDAY. THESE THINGS HAPPEN.” Frisk leaned over to rest her head on Sans’ shoulder and closed her eyes. Still she remained silent. Undyne crossed her legs and growled.  
  
“He could have at least told up about this yesterday! How the hell are we supposed get ready so quickly without notice?! Why are we going back anyway?” Frisk opened her eyes half way and leered at the woman.  
“Aimé stated that someone was coming to the manor to meet with us.”  
“Couldn’t they have waited?” Not in the mood to deal with her, Frisk turned her head and pressed her face into Sans’ shoulder.  
“I don’t know.” Frisk grumbled. “It is probably an ambassador. Regardless, I want you to go check the cameras immediately during the meeting. I don’t want to be taken by surprise.”  
“But—!”  
  
“Give the kid a break, Undyne. We’re all as lost as you all. Not to mention that well of patience she has is pretty dry right now.” Frisk looked up at Sans while he talked and when he was finished, she moved his arm and wrapped it around her. The skeleton looked at her with curiosity but soon chuckled as she buried herself into his side as if to hide herself from the world.  
“Wake me up when we get there.” She would need all the patience she could get to deal with them. The rest of the ride was filled with small talk and puns as they waited to arrive. The monsters thought nothing much of the situation really or at least they didn’t at first. The closer they got to the manor the more the three grew on edge. Clenching her fist, Undyne turned her head to the window.  
  
“You feel that?” She frowned deeply. “Something…isn’t right.”  
“SANS… THIS FEELS RATHER FAMILIAR. IT FEELS LIKE—”  
“Yea, I know, Pap...” Undyne turned her head to the skeleton and raised an eyebrow in question. “You might want to take Frisk’s words to heart and check the cameras immediately, Undyne. Something tells me that our visitor is bad news.” Upon reaching the manor at last, Sans’ woke Frisk up gently. “Rise and shine, kid. It’s party time.”  
  
Almost instantly upon opening her eyes, the little girl felt something was…off. Nevertheless, she kept her thoughts to herself and moved to get out of the car with the others. Taking the words of her companions seriously, Undyne was quick to take off to her station leaving Papyrus and Sans to walk side by side with the child.  
  
Frisk was quick to notice the change in the two skeletons. Where normally they would walk besides her, they now walked in front of her as if they expected something to come at them. In her tired state, she allowed it for some time but the moment they opened the doors to the office she pushed ahead. Frisk blatantly ignored the man who sat before Aimé’s desk in favor of walking up to her mentor first. The skeletons remained behind her but their attention was clearly focused on their guest.  
  
"Monsieur, I'm home." The Frenchmen blinked at her utter disregard of the man but said nothing of it as he smiled at her.  
"Welcome back, Frisk. I understand that it is fairly early for this but we have a guest. Monsieur Majerus has arrived to speak to us both this morning." Frisk turned her head to Majerus who quickly began to speak.   
"Ah, there's the child. We should simply ask her what she thinks of my offer, Aimé. Surely—"  
"It is rather rude to come to one's house unannounced and without invite." Sans' grin couldn't grow any wider if he tried as the little girl threw back the words Majerus had scornfully turned towards him. Frisk cocked her head to the side and smiled but the gesture was anything but warm and inviting. "I don't expect my monsters to understand that, however I did expect you to know this Monsieur. And to come so early as well..."  
  
Majerus looked at the little girl shocked before he began to steel his expression. His eyes were filled with hatred but the stoic look in Frisk’s own eyes that gave him no chance to speak his thoughts.   
"…Forgive me, child." He smiled though there was nothing light about it. "I came to the estate upon realizing that you were indeed under Aimé.”  
“Tis was never any secret, Monsieur.”  
“Perhaps not but neither was it confirmed amongst the others and myself. Your monster confirmed my suspicions thus, after deliberation I have decided to come to speak to you and Aimé." Looking rather smug he continued. "I believed that this was the appropriate time to request a meeting between you and I."  
  
"Meeting?"  
"Indeed. After all, if Aimé has been properly mentoring you, child, it should be no—"  
"Frisk." Majerus blinked unable to process immediately that he had been interrupted.  
"Excuse me?" Frisk crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the man unwaveringly.  
  
"My name is Frisk. I am well aware of the fact that I am a child. It is a fact that doesn't need to be repeated continuously. You came to us, interrupted our morning, stayed past an appropriate time and yet you continue to refuse to use my name. I will not be disrespected in my home by anyone." This time the man didn't bother to hide his rage as each word fell from the child's mouth. He clutched the arm of his chair and began to lash back. The only thing that caused him to pause was the sight of the skeletons behind her daring him to make a move. "Now what is this about a meeting?"  
  
"...Yes well I came to ask Aimé for his approval to speak to you one on one. Regardless of our differences it would do us well to speak openly to each other." Frisk raised an eyebrow.  
"Why ask Aimé for permission when you want to speak to me?" Majerus snorted.  
"Though you hold a position of power, you still are a child. A child under Aimé's care as well. It would be rude to not ask him." Her face turned cold and the little girl frowned deeply.   
  
"Hmmm... I am fairly put off by this entire situation, Monsieur. Nevertheless, I will take your gesture into consideration." The man frowned.  
“Into consideration?”  
“That’s what I stated, yes. As stated, I am merely a child. I couldn’t even begin to make such a decision without the advisement of my mentor.” Frisk folded her hands in front of her and smiled brightly. “Isn’t that right, Aimé?” The Frenchmen smiled throughout the interaction but once called upon he nodded.  
  
“Quite. Allow me some time to speak to Frisk about this about your offer Majerus. We will send word of our answer soon.” Majerus couldn’t help the look on his face when he realized that he would not be getting an answer. Gritting his teeth, the man reached up and adjusted his tie.  
“I see. Well I will be looking forward to your response.” He rose with haste but stop to stare down Frisk who stared back without hesitation. “I do hope you take advantage of what is being offered to you, _child_.” It took everything within her to not bite a respond back to his disrespect.  
  
“Indeed Monsieur… You know what they say, keep your friends close.” With one lingering look, the man exited the room and it wasn’t until he was out the room that Frisk moved to sit down herself. Papyrus spoke before she could.  
“THERE IS SOMETHING DEEPLY UNPLEASANT ABOUT THAT HUMAN. OTHER THAN HIS LOVE I MEAN. YET I DID NOT THINK HE WOULD COME TO THE MANOR SO EARLY OR AT ALL BEFORE THE PARTY!”  
“You and me both, bro.” Frisk sighed and grumbled childishly.

“That was not how I expected to spend my morning. Is he always this frustrating?” The old man gave her a sympathetic look.  
“He is actually much worse. I believe he kept his mouth pretty tame considering. But that is neither here nor there. I have my own idea as to what you should do however this is your meeting not mine. Do you intend to actually meet with him, Frisk?” The little girl blinked.  
  
“He is an ambassador. It would be rude to deny him one chance to speak. Regardless of his behavior I do intend to meet with him.”  
  
 **“No.”**

There were a lot of things she did not need on top of the morning she had already had. She didn’t need the stress of her classes, she didn’t need the worry that popped up in the back of her mind when she began to question if she studied enough for her test and above all she definitely did not need the argument she knew was about to ensure with a now vocal skeleton. Frisk sighed and moved to rub her temples.  
  
“Sans, you and Papyrus will be right beside me when I talk to him.”  
“Don’t care. You’re not doing it.”  
“This is my job, Sans. You can’t just—”  
“Can and did. You are not going to meet with Majerus. End of discussion.”  
  
Frisk held a staring/glaring contest with the skeleton and the tension between them grew. Papyrus looked between the two frantically before stepping in.  
“FRISK, SANS PLEASE. WE CAN ALL TALK ABOUT THIS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO TOGETHER! ISN’T THAT RIGHT AIME!” Aimé nodded and gave the two a weak smile, noting that they had yet to break their eye contact.  
“Indeed. Meeting Majerus might not be a horrid idea, Sans. But we must take precaution.” Sans snorted and broke away first.  
“No problem. We don’t have to worry about that anyway. Like I said, shes not doing it.”  
  
“Sans—”  
“Class starts soon, kid. Let’s go.” Frisk opened her mouth to argue once more but in a blur her arm was grabbed and she disappeared along with Sans. Aimé and Papyrus looked around only to exchange looks.   
"I DO NOT THINK THIS WILL BE SOLVED EASILY..." Aimé ran a hand through his hair and released a tired sigh.  
“In truth my friend, as long as they do not destroy the manor in the process its best we let this play out.”  
  
  
A gasp escaped her when she appeared in front of her class door and by the time she had processed what had happened the skeleton was already gone. For a time, she merely stood outside of the doors before inhaling and closing her eyes. She didn't have time for this. She had a class to attend too but there was little doubt in her mind about the fallout that would come between herself and the skeleton. The rest of the day went on without much excitement. She went to class, did her work and had her dinner. Whenever Aimé or Papyrus attempted to speak with her about the absent skeleton however, she merely brushed them off. It wasn't until it was time for bed that she found herself growing with anxiety and annoyance. The moment the she closed her room door, Frisk proceeded to speak to a presence unseen.   
  
"...What's wrong with you, Sans?" Although she wanted nothing more than to go for the meat of the issue, goading the skeleton would not work in her favor. "We both know that in the end I will have to meet with Majerus whether I want to or not. You can't stop me from doing it." Frisk could practically taste his budding anger but she merely looked down. "As long as I play it safe there should be no issue so why are you causing a fit?" Upon looking up, Frisk found herself face to face with the Sans but she didn't back down. "What's really wrong?" To be honest she didn't expect him to say anything at first. She didn't believe he was going to even acknowledge her with how he was keeping up his silence but she was soon proven wrong.   
  
"You know what, kid." Frisk moved and sat on her bed before looking back at him.  
"I mean this seriously; you don't know what I do or do not know Sans. So please, enlighten me." The sound of him grinding his teeth even if lightly was unnerving but she didn't back down. The skeleton was acting so...unusual in his persistence. Had he truly sensed something she had not?  
  
"You'd have to be stupid not to feel the intent behind his LOVE. Perhaps you honestly couldn't feel it. But I had no problem judging his actions. There is little doubt in my mind that if we were not present, he would have sought to harm you just for your arrogance against him. What’s worst is we still don't know his angle."   
"And that's exactly why we should be going to this meeting Sans." Sans opened his eyes.   
"No, kid. That's exactly why we should be staying away from him at all cost. You don't know what this human is up too. Hell, you don't even know if he might do anything to you then." Unable to help it, the little girl smiled.   
  
"Language~" Sans was in front of her face the moment the last syllable left her tongue, sneering at her openly.   
“This isn’t a game, _Frisk_! You can’t go in there as if this a game when this human has easily had a hand in multiple deaths. This time if things go wrong...” The smile on her face faded quickly and she looked at him solemnly. The look on her face made him believe that she was finally beginning to understand but her words told another story.  
  
“I’m not going to reset it something goes south.” Sans froze and she turned her eyes to him. “I made a promise. I mean it." Frisk looked at him fiercely. "You were the one who made me stay alive. I was trying to make sure that the resets never happened again.”   
"Thats not what this is about, Frisk..."  
"Is it not? When will you actually believe time is moving forward? When will you finally trust me?" It was almost as if time stopped around them and the question lingered in the air. Frisk looked at Sans' sympathetically but it was missed placed. She noticed the skeleton's expression change and she almost moved to comfort him, to drill it into his head that she wasn't going to reset but what he did next locked her into place.

“Heh.” Sans’ eyes blacked out and the skeleton began to laugh. It was a laughter Frisk never heard him release. There was no joy in it, no sorrow; it was as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing to the point where all he could do was laugh. But the reason for it was the complete opposite of what Frisk believed. “I never thought in my life I would witness the day.” The skeleton covered his face with his hands and continued to laugh as he spoke. “But you’ve managed it! You’ve managed to be so oblivious that I can’t even believe it.” Sans continued to laugh on and on until it died down to light giggles. “I’m not afraid of a reset, Frisk. I’m afraid of you breaking your promise.” Removing his hand, he turned his hollow sockets towards her. “I’m afraid of you _keeping_ your promise.”

...what?

“I’m afraid of you being so stubborn in the face of this human that you miss the signs of danger before your eyes. How many times have you done that before huh? Undyne. Mettaton. Asgore—you even missed the signs of danger with Toriel!" The little girl flinched. "How many times have you died because of your stubbornness? Determination and stubbornness to hand in hand but have you ever learned the difference? And now if you die in this timeline your stubbornness will stop you from bringing yourself back.” Frisk frowned deeply.   
“I won’t die—"

"You will die, Frisk! Because now that you are finally keeping your damn hands off of that reset button you are mortal just like the rest of us. You'll bleed like the rest of us. You'll die like the rest of us. No redos. No second chances— this is it!” Frisk immediately turned her head away from him unable to look him in the eyes. "And you know it. If you didn't you would be able to look me in the eyes right now. Yes our LOVE combine is enough to deal with him at present but what about the consequences of doing so? Did you think that far ahead? Or did you just decide that determination could cure all that ails you, kid?" She stood up and moved away from the bed. Without a word, Frisk took the skeleton's hand and held it between her gloved ones. For a moment she hesitated before sighing.   
  
"I will never reset again. Ever. I am very well aware of the threat Majerus is, Sans... But the reason I am not afraid of him isn't because of my determination." As if unsure how to continue she paused. "...Resetting a world, a line isn't the only thing I can do. It isn't the only thing my siblings could do. Sometimes we didn't need to reset everything. To you it felt like every time deja vu hit it was a new line. But sometimes I never left a timeline to redo what I needed to." If possible, the skeleton went pale with each word Frisk spoke. She allowed him to absorb the weight of what she had said before continuing. "I am not sure how much you remember, but I am able to save my progress in a line and load it back whenever I need to. If I die before I managed to get to Asgore I would load. If I just made it past Mettaton, I would save. With Undyne I would have to do both continuously. Resetting isn't all I can do." She was hyper aware of the fact that Sans had gone as stiff as a board not to mention the fact that he had little to no reaction. Genuinely afraid of what he was thinking, Frisk moved and hugged him. He jolted a bit out of shock but the child merely pressed her face against his chest.  
  
"I haven't used it. I don't want to use it. I save regularly because I don't know what this line holds anymore. That's how it should be but if it can save one of us, I'll keep saving." Frisk looked up and frowned deeply. "If I die, I will load. If one of our family members dies, I will reload... But I promised you I would stay alive... and I mean it Sans. I'm not planning to die until it is my natural time to do so." The lights in his eyes appeared but he made no movements right away. When he did, he placed his hands on her shoulder's and gently pushed her away. It hurt her but she knew learning of a new way she had messed with time wasn't going to be pleasant for him. Sans' moved to walk away from her and right before she could call out to him, he looked over his shoulder.   
  
"Go to bed, kid. We'll talk in the morning." Frisk fought against herself. She wanted nothing more than to keep him there and force him to talk out his feelings but she wasn't stupid. Forcing Sans to speak truly about his emotions was like trying to cut an atom with a knife. So instead she looked down and rubbed her arm as he reached for the door.  
"Night..." With his back to her Sans paused only for his shoulders to drop.  
"Night, Frisk..."

* * *

Ketchup was the worlds way of giving him a moments reprieve from the bullshit that it continued to throw at him. He didn't know if he should laugh or cry at that thought but instead, he merely took another swig of his bottle as he glared a hole into the counter top. He was angry. He was shocked and yet at the same time he was confused as to why he was even surprised. Next thing the world was going to give the child was the ability to resurrect the dead. Sans' snorted at that.  
"I wouldn't even be fucking surprised..."  
"I DO WISH YOU WOULD WATCH YOUR FOUL LANGUAGE BROTHER. YOU ARE ALREADY A BIG INFLUENCE ON FRISK, WE DO NOT NEED HER GROWING UP WITH UNDYNE'S MOUTH." Sans turned his head over his shoulder and looked at his brother before giving his best relax smile.  
"Hey bro, what up?"  
"I BELIEVE THE BETTER QUESTION IS WHAT IS UP WITH YOU, SANS? ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING YOU HAVE THREE EMPTY BOTTLES OF KETCHUP BEFORE YOU... DID YOU EAT THOSE KETCHUP PACKETS ALSO?!"   
  
Sans turned his head away and shook it. "Nothing's wrong, Pap. I'm fine." Papyrus looked off to the side before coming to sit in front of his brother upon a stool.   
"...BROTHER, DID YOU NOT MAKE FRISK PROMISE TO GROW STRONG?" Sans blinked.  
"Yea...?"  
"HOW CAN YOU EXPECT HER TO KEEP HER PROMISES TO YOU WHEN YOU CANNOT KEEP YOUR OWN TO ME?"   
  
Ouch.   
  
Sans' knew Papyrus was all for being as factual as he could be but his naive bluntness had its own edge to it. Especially when his brother was calling him out on his shit. Here he was lying to Papyrus again after promising him he wouldn't anymore all the while being agitated at Frisk for the possibility of keeping and breaking her promise. He was nothing if not a hypocrite and he knew that well. Running a hand down his face Sans sighed.   
  
"...I don't want the kid to meet up with Majerus. I tried to explain that to her tonight but all she got from that was that I was being paranoid that she would reset the timeline again."  
"AND WERE YOU?" Sans did not have enough ketchup from this conversation.   
"Yes—I mean no! It’s complicated. After all the timelines and everything we've been through its hard not to always have that fear, Papyrus. But I was more worried about her keeping her promise." To Papyrus' credit, although known for being the loudest member of their group, he really did know when to keep quiet. "You felt that human's LOVE, Pap. We can't be prepared for every little thing that he throws our way. Having this party is already going to be a lot. Frisk thinks she is invincible but she isn't." His eyes found a new interest on his bottle as he muttered. "After all, I only murdered her about a hundred plus times..." Sans downed half of the bottle before setting it down and shaking his head.   
  
"I thought that reminding the kid that she was fallible now would be enough to dissuade her from meeting with Majerus but instead you know what she does?" He placed his hand over his eyes and laughed besides himself but it was nothing short of broken. "She goes and fucking tells me that she doesn't need to reset. She tells me, 'Hey guess what?! I can just load in a moment in time that I saved and I'll be okay!' But its not okay, Papyrus." Clutching a fist, Sans slammed it down on the counter and scoffed. "That fucking kind of thinking is what got our father killed. And to top it off, she’d still be messing with time! I don't know what I have to do or what I have to say to make the kid understand that she isn't a fucking god! She can't go around messing with things she shouldn't have control of!" Frustrated, and without anything else to preoccupy his hands, Sans moved to finish his bottle only to have his hand grasped and taken by his brother.  
  
"...SANS, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO FRISK THAT SENT HER DOWN INTO THE UNDERGROUND GAVE HER THIS GIFT. SHE HAD NOT ALWAYS USED IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS, NO, BUT NOW SHE IS DOING HER BEST TO DO RIGHT NOT ONLY BY MYSELF AND THE OTHERS, BUT BY YOU AS WELL. REGARDLESS OF HOW HARD TIMES HAD GOTTEN, SHE HAS NEVER RESET THIS TIME LINE. SHE HAS DONE SO BECAUSE SHE HAS STRIVE SO HARD TO KEEP THE PROMISES YOU HAVE ASKED HER TOO. BECAUSE SHE UNDERSTANDS THAT IF YOU HAVE ASKED HER TO DO THESE THINGS DESPITE YOUR DISLIKE OF PROMISES THEY ARE IMPORTANT." Sans moved to talk but a shake of the head from Papyrus rendered him quiet.  
  
"I UNDERSTAND YOUR FEARS, SANS. THERE IS SO MUCH CONTROL WITHIN FRISK'S HANDS WHEN IT COMES TO MANIPULATING TIME AND I DO NOT THINK SHE ALWAYS UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT JUST AS WE ARE FINALLY GROWING AND MOVING FORWARD, SO IS SHE. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I BELIEVE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, SHE HAS NO CONTROL WHEN IT COMES TO KNOWING WHAT TO DO NEXT." It almost was an amusing thought to think that this tiny child who can reset a timeline or jump back in time to a point she saved too felt lost because she no longer knew what was going to happen next. And yet the more he thought about it, the more he found himself conceding towards Papyrus' point.   
  
"It still doesn't make it right, Pap."  
"PERHAPS NOT, BROTHER. BUT YOU CANNOT BE AFRAID OF HER KEEPING AND BREAKING HER PROMISE. ONE WILL HAPPEN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. IN THE END YOU SIMPLY NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHICH OUTCOME YOU CAN LIVE WITH." He smiled sadly.  
  
"I DO NOT THINK THERE WILL EVER BEEN A GOOD COMPROMISE WHEN IT COMES TO THIS. IT IS JUST AS YOU SAID, 'COMPLICATED.' BUT AS LONG AS SHE CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR GUIDANCE BROTHER, WE WILL BE OKAY." They would be and deep down he knew it. However, he would be lying if he said that was all that was on his mind.  
  
When that woman died in his dreams, she was given two prompts. Load and reset. He hadn't thought much of it at the time since in truth he didn't understand much of what that meant and he was more interest in the interaction between her and…him. But now that that he knew what it meant to load, why didn't she? And further more why did she share the same powers as Frisk? For the past few days he had done his best to block out the dream, to write it off. However, with the new information he had just gotten he wasn't really sure if he was meant to.  
  
"SANS...? SANS!" He snapped too.  
"Sorry bro I was just spacing off..." Papyrus rolled his eyes and Sans couldn't help but to chuckle.   
"I NOTICED. BUT AS I WAS SAYING... DON'T BE TOO HARD ON HER FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF LOADING SANS. WITH WHAT WE ARE GETTING INTO IT CAN BE JUST AS HELPFUL TO US ALL AS IT CAN BE DESTRUCTIVE.” Papyrus squeezed his brothers’ hand and smiled at him softly. “IT’LL BE OKAY SANS. I PROMISE. YOU’RE NOT ALONE DEALING WITH ALL THIS ANYMORE. IF ANYTHING, IT’LL BE EASIER HAVING EVERYONE THERE TO HELP.”  
  
Sans smiled at his brother but his doubt remained in his mind. One thing was clear however, load or not, he would simply have to be on top of everything if he wanted to make sure the time line wasn’t touched. At least…any more than it needed to be.

* * *

She had worried herself into unconsciousness the night before. Dread filled her the moment she began to come too because she knew the moment she got out of bed she would have to face him. If she was being honest with herself, she really did see nothing wrong in using her power to load if she absolutely had to in case of death. However the more she thought about it the more she kicked herself for not explaining this power to Sans. It was easy to get loading and resetting mixed up if you weren’t in control but regardless of that messing with time was still messing with time. And she should have known that Sans wouldn’t have been happy with it regardless of the difference.  
  
Frisk was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice the additional weight upon her bed. She was so worried about how Sans might see her now that she didn’t even notice the hand on her head. Well, at first. It was kinda hard to ignore it when she felt bone threading though her hair. Stiffening immediately, she jumped up and scooted off the bed only to fall off with a thud. A tired but soft chuckle distracted her from the pain on her back side and soon she was looking up into a familiar face.  
  
“Good job, kid.” Frisk merely looked at him unsure about what to say or rather how to say it. In the end, she ended up sheepishly looking off to the side while he spoke. “Cat got your tongue kid? It’s cool. I’ll do the talking.” Slowly, she looked up. His eyes weren’t glowing nor were they blackened… but his tone was serious nonetheless. “I’d be lying if I said I was thrilled with this new update. I thought I’d only ever have to deal with your ability to reset. Low and behold, we have another to deal with.” She did her best to fold in on herself but he continued. “Have you used it since we’ve emerged?”  
“No… I’ve only saved because I didn’t know what the humans would do…” It almost seemed to be the right answer, for immediately after she spoke, he sighed.  
  
“Then I suppose that’s all we can do for now. As long as you save only and load when its absolutely necessary there isn’t much to it.” This time, she looked up though suspiciously.  
“You’re… not mad…?” Sans laughed but it was with out humor.  
“I’m undeniably livid.” Frisk flinched. “But I suppose I’m not mad at you. This whole situation even in the face of the fact that we are finally above upon the surface is shit.” It took a moment but she nodded in agreement. Reaching out, he offered her a hand which she took only to be pulled up. “But if nothing else, I suppose my worry of you dying to Majerus is without merit. You still going to have that meeting.” Hesitantly she nodded.  
  
“I still think I should.”  
“Then we’ll do it.” Frisk couldn’t help the look of shock on her face when he agreed but she was hardly surprised at what he said next.

“On one condition.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CLIFFHANGER.  
> My boy is just mad at the universe. He can't take a 12 hour nap but here is a nine year old with 5 million ways to mess with time.


	13. Son of a Gun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Son of a Gun- Janet Jackson

_“Did you know that humans once harnessed the power of magic alongside monsters?”_  
_“I do…”_  
_“Of course, you do. You must know more about magic than any one of us in the laboratory. But I digress once we had magic just as strong as monsters. It is often recounted as something of a fairy tale but I know better. We know better.”_  
  
_Frisk could see the woman better in this dream than she did before. The static was gone but every time she got a full view of her face it was as if she could never grasp on her face. At some point, however Frisk became vehemently aware of just who this woman was by her voice. Her last dream was vivid in her mind despite being pulled from it. The woman shifted her eyes over to the man who spoke to her and raised a eyebrow. "You are telling me something I already know. Why? We would not be in this laboratory day in and out if it wasn’t for the fact that we, indeed, know better. After all, if it wasn’t for the anomaly, we’ve detected we wouldn’t be any wiser.” The woman leaned back in her seat and looked at the man with exasperation. “The knowledge that there is a world or realm off of ours and a being with power there is enough to give some validation to the idea of humans once having magic. So instead of beating around the bush—what do you want?” Frisk couldn’t help but snort softly at the woman’s sass. It was completely different from how she interacted with her when she was a child in the dream. The man did not take kind to it._  
  
_“Must you always be so crass, woman?”_  
_“Must you always waste my time when I am working? You never do this when I am free. Always when I am busy but you’re the one annoyed? If you have something to say Gabriel, say it or begone."_  
  
_The man, she now knew as Gabriel, scowled but his own exasperation soon came over him and he relented. “While going over the data we continue to receive from the small connection we can make to the realm, I found myself pondering an idea. This anomaly, this realm and thing or being… what if it the bridge to bring back our innate ability to produce magic once more?”_  
_“You came to me to propose a shower thought?” Frisk snickered under her breath but this time she stopped. Upon watching the woman, she swore that her eyes looked at her. But that’s…impossible… This was a dream. A memory. There was no way she could interact with her…right? Her thoughts were immediately interrupted when Gabriel threw up his hands._  
  
_“Will you take this seriously!? The being, the thing has already shown that, though weak, it has some control over this world! If we could somehow gain contact with it, control it or if it is sentient created an established connection between us and it think of how far we can go.” The woman looked up from her desk and turned to the man before narrowing her eyes. "We seek only to establish communication now to see what exactly is on that side but the anomaly's potential cannot be ignored. If it is the possible link to restoring such powers within us, we should proceed with the intention to make it so."_  
  
_“Do you know how old my daughter is, Gabriel?”_  
_Gabriel and Frisk both froze but only Gabriel responded. “I believe she is…four now?”_  
_“Indeed. And do you know what my four year old little daughter reminded me, yesterday?” The man didn’t respond. “She reminded me of the fact that although we can mess with things, we should not. She reminded me of how men do not know when to stop pushing for greatness.” The woman frowned deeply.  
  
"Magic was ours once upon a time but we lost it. We don’t know why we lost it or how but if there is a significant reason, we should not be pushing so quickly to get it back. Men can barely handle scientific advancements or political growth without losing their minds and you want to speed up the process in order to give them magic?” The woman shook her head. “No. I won’t hear of it. We will continue to monitor this situation and move forward at the appropriate speed.” Gabriel clutched his fist._  
_“You speak of your daughter but don’t you want her to grow up in a world with the advancements we seek?” The woman bristled.  
_  
_“I want my daughter to grow up in a world that is safe. I want my daughter to grow up in a world that isn’t dominated by men who seek power over common sense. If that is too much for you to understand, you can always go to the chairman and request a grant in order to take over the project, Gabriel.”_  
_"Madam An-"_  
_"You are dismissed."_

_Frisk could practically see the steam coming off of the man when she dismissed him and without further argument, the man left the room. Even as he walked out of the room however, Frisk couldn't help but think that it wasn't the end of it. She knew that look on his face. Although he didn't appear to hold her own brand of determination, Gabriel was not going to give up. Sighing, the little girl placed her hands on her hips and shook her head. "Adults... Sometimes I swear you all are more childish than I am."_

_"I would hope so. I did raise you with more common sense than that."_  
  
_Her heart stopped and Frisk had to will herself to look at the woman. In truth, Frisk expected the dream to end. It usually did after she watched what she was supposed to but instead, upon looking around, she was greeted with the sight of the woman looking at her. She wasn't looking past her, she wasn't looking at anything else; she was looking dead at her. And for the first time she could see the woman clearly and her voice got stuck in her voice. It was her._  
  
_“You’ve gotten so big... I can remember a time where you came above my waist.” Frisk hadn't even realized that she had begun to move but her feet compelled her forward. She wasn't able to get close to her before the woman stopped her. She shook her head and held out her hand._  
_"Stay. You cannot cross into where I am.”_  
_"Mom...?" She hated how her voice came out in a whisper. The woman before her smiled sadly and nodded just slightly, triggering her immediately. "What do you mean? Why can't I come to you? Where am I? Where are we?"_  
  
_"We do not have a lot of time left. Be wary of his words.”_  
_Frisk's confusion grew and she tried to reach out for her mother but found herself stuck in place. For a moment Frisk struggled but found her struggle to be fruitless. “Whose words? I don’t understand…” The woman narrowed her eyes._  
_“Gabriel’s. Do not trust him. The skeleton will protect you, Frisk. Stay close to him and do not leave his sight when Gabriel is near."_  
_“Wait, please!" The little girl continued to fight viciously against the force holding her in place. Why wouldn’t she let her come to her? She had so many questions, so many things she needed to know. Tears welled up in, Frisk's eyes and she fought harder to get to her. Her mother's resolve seemed to break at the sight and she moved towards the little girl._

_👎_ _⚐_ _☠_ _⚐❄_ _✋☠❄☜_ _☼_ _☞☜_ _☼_ _☜_

_Her mother turned to an unseen forced and glared at it without restraint before looking back to her daughter. “Don’t cry, my frisky Frisk… I’m here.”_

_🕈☜_ _👌_ _⚐❄☟_ _✌_ _☼_ _☜_ _._

* * *

She gasped and lurched forward. Unable to distinguish where she was at first, the child jumped out of her bed and looked around wildly. "Mom!" There was no one else in the room but herself and whereas it would be a comfort at times, now it only served to destroy her heart. She didn’t remember everything, not by a long shot, but she remembered her now. Her mother. The woman who loved her dearly. Frisk found herself sitting on the floor, fighting with her brain while trying to force up any little memory of her past. Her mother warned her about Gabriel but why? And who was he? Her hands soon found purchase within her hair and she gripped her locks tightly. Just a little memory to clue her in on more about her mother would have been enough but nothing came.  
  
And the child who was strong and resilient, patient and calm, lost it.  
  
She screamed and got up to her feet only to throw the pillows on her bed to the floor. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair. Finally, she got the chance to remember. Finally, she got the chance to see her mother and it was taken away from her! Frisk grabbed one of her pillows and threw it at her vanity, spilling its contents onto the floor. It wasn’t—!!  
  
Her head snapped to the side, openly showing the tears she didn’t realize were falling down her face, the moment arms wrapped around her. “Jeez, kid… What happened?” Sans looked at the child with open concern, but it only grew when she turned and bit down upon her lip to quiet her sobs. "Frisk...?" She pressed her face to his chest and began to cry. He stiffened in surprise but quickly recovered though he was still just as confused. Picking, the little girl up, he brought her to the bed and sat down with her in his lap. “Bad dream…?” It was apparently the wrong thing to say, for his words quickly sent her into more tears. Dammit. The skeleton sighed softly and after deciding to keep his mouth shut, he continued to keep her close.  
  
He really couldn't complain however. After the shit his own mind put him through, having her near was just as much of a comfort to her as it was to him. Seems like he wasn’t the only one with a nightmare that night but he was probably the only one out of them who understood who he was dealing with more.

* * *

_✋🕯_ _✞☜_ _✌☹_ _🕈_ _✌✡💧_ _❄_ _⚐☹_ _👎_ _✡_ _⚐🕆_ _❄☟✌❄_ _☟🕆💣_ _✌☠💧_ _🕈☜_ _☼_ _☜_ _☞✋_ _👍😐☹☜_ _❄☟✋☠☝💧._

 _The skeleton froze up before making a fist. Closing his eyes, he did his best to force himself awake but it was to no avail. He could feel a presence in front of his face but he refused to acknowledge it. To be honest, he was merely waiting for him to disappear. However, after saying his name and being ignored the being ignored the presence changed its tactics. “…Perhaps this language is more preferable. I do hope you have not lost the knowledge of Hands…” Sans snorted and clutched his fist tighter.  
  
_ _“Couldn’t if I tried. And trust me, I've tried."  
“I suppose that is true seeing as through it all you are one of the few who continues to remember me.” Sans gritted his teeth but absolutely refused to turn towards the being as he felt it move. “This is just a dream."  
  
“Dreams are often gate ways into other worlds. Other realms… Even the void.” Wrapping his arms around himself, the skeleton lowered his head. Sans did his best to focus on waking up but his focus was broken at its next words. “But that is neither here nor there. I came to speak of the child.” At this, Sans’s opened his eyes. “Watch her well. Least you lose her.” His eye glowed and instantly turned around. As he did, he summoned his blasters and growled.  
“I won’t let you have her.” The being released a soft laughter and a pair of hands found themselves upon Sans’ shoulders.   
  
"Dearest boy, I am not the one who wishes to take your sunshine away."_

* * *

It was the child's screams of frustration that finally woke him. After what he had just dealt with, he didn't hesitate to go to her. At first, he believed that he had actually managed to find a way to leave the void but he quickly realized that wasn't the case. He didn't take in the tantrum for long before stepping in and grabbing her in order to stop her from potentially hurting herself. And that how he ended up holding a hysterical nine year old at 2 am while contemplating the fact that his life was being over seen by a forgotten man with a new found interest in his charge.

Great.  
  
He narrowed his eyes slightly while resting his chin upon Frisk's head and allowed her time to calm down as he fell into his thoughts. There was a lot about the void that Sans didn't understand but one thing he was fairly certain about was affecting their world from it took more effort than one would like. There was very little in his notes about the void interacting with different timelines but although it was rare it did happen upon occasion.   
  
Wing Ding Gaster was not a man who acted without a direct reason, even if he didn't always make those reasons known. _"Watch her well. Least you lose her."_ A sniffle escaped Frisk as she began to settle and with a soft grin, he broke away from his thoughts and he pulled back to look down at her.   
"Hey..." The little girl sniffed and wiped her eyes. "You okay?" He expected a shake of her head or a sniffle. But the scowl she gave instead was a surprise.  
  
"I saw my mother. I saw her." She gave a mirthful chuckle. "I thought it was just a memory... I've been getting some back when I sleep but it wasn't." The look she gave him begged the skeleton to believe her though she hardly believed it herself. "She looked dead at me, Sans. She told me to watch out for some man name Gabriel." He tightened his grin. "I tried to get her to stay and tell me more but she just told me she was there..." The little girl looked down and closed her eyes. "And there was someone else but I didn't understand anything they said." He did his best not to freeze up or give his anxiety away as the child spoke.  
  
"It said' _🕈☜_ _👌_ _⚐❄☟_ _✌_ _☼_ _☜_."  
We both are...  
  
Any doubt of Gaster's interference was gone and, in its place, came the overwhelming fear of not knowing what he was up too. And on top of that apparently, he wasn't the only one involved if Frisk's mother was responding to Gaster's words. How and why? He didn't know. But what he did know was this was neither the time nor place to investigate. Sans moved and placed the little girl on her feet. She looked at him confused as he placed a hand on her head.   
  
"There is little we can do about all of this now kid."  
"But-!"  
"No buts. Trust me, I want answers just as badly as you do." If not more. "But right now, we don't have a wing or a prayer to go on. For right now all we can do is calm down and come back to this with a calm mind." Frisk looked down and tried to find the determination to argue on but her tiredness quickly caught up to her and she deflated. He gave her a sympathetic look. "It’s late, kid. But somehow, I doubt you'll be going to bed any time soon, huh?" The utter deadpan look Frisk gave to him caused him to chuckle besides himself. "We've already been through enough for tonight. Might as well get some breakfast." He couldn't thank the heavens enough when the child's attention seemed to turn from the forgotten man and the thoughts of the woman.  
"But Pap is asleep..."  
"Guess that means we're cooking." Frisk snorted.   
  
"You can't cook."  
"There's a first time for everything."  
"We're gonna set the manor on fire."  
"And we'll look good doing it." Frisk laughed softly and allowed Sans to put her on the floor before getting up himself. Without a word she grabbed his hand and smiled at him gently. They would have to talk about this later. Eventually he would have to open up and explain everything about the man who spoke that strange language and she would have to open up about what she learned about her mother. But until then they were going to do their best to enjoy what peace they could get before they were forced to face the day.  
  
And forced to face Papyrus and Aimé because of a burnt down kitchen.

* * *

Annaliese glared at the back of her companion's head silently. He paid her no open mind but she knew very well he was aware of her rage. She didn't need him interfering with her time with her daughter. She didn't step in when he spoke to his son so he should have remained away. Frisk was already anxious about them interfering with her dreams... She didn't wish to stress her little one out more than she needed too. And yet instead of saying that to him, the former scientist defaulted to glaring holes into his back. For a woman of her degree, she knew very well that she was being childish. But that still didn't stop her from continuing on her silent tirade. Sighing, the monster shook his head and turned from the window he was looking at to watch over his son and her daughter and looked at her.  
  
"✌☠☠✌☹✋☜💧☜—”   
"English."  
"I believe your daughter's comment about childishness comes into play here."

He wasn't even surprise when the woman took out her hair bow and snapped it directly at his chest. He had been on the end of the woman's fiery temper many times before for. Retaliation was expected. Still, at least she didn't attempt to shove him through the window this time... The monster made a face before sighing.  
  
"Your displeasure is noted. However, you know as well as I that touching beings outside of the void is territory we have yet to explore. If you would have touched your daughter and had she suffered because of it, you would have been more distraught than anything else." She bristled but she knew that he was alright. She would never be able to forgive herself if something more happened to her little one... "We have been patience for what seemed to be years at this point. We can stand to be patient for a little while longer."  
  
"And your reasoning for antagonizing your son?" The ridge above his eye raised up But Annaliese sighed at the lack of a answer. It was a unnecessary comment and she knew it. "I need to make sure that Gabriel does not manage to sway my daughter... God knows what he will do if he gets his hands on her and Frisk doesn't remember anything. A child is still that, a child. If he appeals to her sense of heroics—”   
  
"He will not. Sans was not going to let her out of his sight after realizing they were to meet in the first place. After my comments he will do all he can to make sure she is never alone with him. You may call it antagonizing but if it makes sure that Sans does not take a eye off of Frisk then it is worth it. Gabriel will not have the chance to plant his toxic thoughts into her mind." For the longest time, the two stared off. Annaliese gaze remained filled with anger and anxiety as Gaster's held an eternal calm. After a moment she took a breath and deflated.  
  
"I do not want her to continue suffering for my mistakes."   
"She will not."  
  
His gaze turned sympathetic and he moved towards her. The woman looked up as he held out his hand for her to take and without hesitation she placed her hand in his. She returned the smile he gave her and squeezed his hand gently. "No longer will our children suffer." Turning back to the window, he closed it and pulled the woman forward to venture through the void.  
  
"This will all end here. This, I promise."

* * *

"After our last meeting I was rather surprise to hear you were willing to accept my offer to speak, little one." She twitched slightly at the nickname; however, it was better than 'child'. In the parlor room, Frisk sat upon a chair before Majerus, keeping a cool disposition with her skeleton companion behind her. "But I must admit that I didn't expect you to bring one of your monsters with you."   
  
Frisk held his gaze and remained stoic throughout. She had asked for Majerus' presence at the manor that Friday afternoon after taking all of Thursday to regroup from the warning her mother pushed upon her. To be honest, after calming down Frisk began to deem the entire situation as her mind fucking with her. At some point she had almost convinced herself that was what it was until Sans brought her Majerus' file to read over once more. Or should she say, Gabriel's file to read over?  
  
From that moment on, she gave in into Sans' demands to be present whenever the man was around her. She believed in coincidences. She believed in irony. And yet all of this was way too much to write off. Sans made her recount every detail about the dream multiple times and yet each time they could not draw up exactly what Majerus was playing at in terms of needing Frisk. But they both knew that the only way to get answers was to hear it straight from his mouth.  
  
"Where I go, he goes." Leaning forward, she picked her glass of water off of the table. "Whether it is here or before the ambassadors, if there is a reason for him to feel I might need his aid he will remind by my side." Majerus narrowed his eyes. "After all, Monsieur, it is very foolish to meet with a man who has been your enemy." Majerus frowned.   
"Is that how you see me, little one? As your enemy?"  
"Monsieur Majerus, it is how you have projected yourself to not only myself but Aimé as well as my parents. But that is neither here nor there considering that we are here trying to clear the air, yes?" Crossing her legs, she leaned back.   
  
The man cleared his throat and did his best to keep his expression schooled. "Indeed. Tell me child, what do you know about magic?" Frisk remained silent but he seemed to expect as much. "No doubt you already have a fine grasp on how monsters rely on it, but did you know that humans also once held the innate ability to harness magic?" Her grip on her cup became brutal and though Majerus didn't notice it, Sans did. He squeezed her shoulder lightly in act of inaudible comfort and watched her loosen her grip. "Now days it is a fairy tale concept to think that humans were once as powerful as monsters. But I know that it is no myth." He smiled at her softly and she wanted nothing more than to wipe that look off of his face. But she had her part to play and she would play it well. Relaxing her gaze she raised a eyebrow.  
  
"I am not sure I follow, Monsieur." Majerus smiled, she dared to say, fondly.   
  
"In my years of research, I have found that humans once held the same magical capabilities if not stronger than monsters. Can you imagine what the world would be like, what humans could achieve if we could once more access that power?" Frisk raised her eyebrow.  
"Is this a theory... or something that you believe is a reality?"  
  
"Believe? My dear child, this is more than what I believe. There is something that is truly keeping each human's magical abilities down for the exchange of something else. This leads me to my next question. What do you know about LOVE?" Keeping with the facade, Frisk masqueraded a expression of confusion prompting the man to continue. "LOVE, level of violence. By our very nature, humans have always been creatures to exploit violence and I have found that by each level that a human grows the closer they come to harnessing the magic locked away in their hearts, no, in their souls."   
  
Frisk looked down at her water before placing the glass back down upon the table. "I am... rather confused by all of this, Monsieur Majerus. Love. Levels. It sounds more like a game than reality." She sent a side eyed look at the skeleton behind her. "Though I suppose I am one to talk." Turning her eyes to the man once more she frowned. "However, I am still lost about what this has to do with you and myself."  
  
"I, along with my associates, am so close to breaking the bonds that link LOVE with our innate ability to produce magic. However, there has always been a missing link. Never have we had a being that had truly been nurtured and raised around such a thing. Until now, until you. There is little doubt in my mind that the king and queen have allowed their magic to be absorbed within you in some way giving the fact that you are their adopted heir. If you were to help me along with my colleagues, together we can usher in a new era where humans are more than just their physical capabilities." He gave her a true smile but to Frisk it was nothing but evil. "Think, girl! Such a thing could push the human race forwards by decades!"  
  
She had closed her eyes at some point when he was talking. After taking a deep breath, she rose up and stepped away from the two. Walking to the nearest window, she outwards though she focused on nothing. "And what about my monsters, Monsieur?"   
"Your...monsters?"  
"Aye. My monsters. You talk about humans but never once have I heard about the effect this will have upon my people."  
Majerus smiled but scoffed under his breath. "I hardly think it will affect them in the long run. Your monsters already have magic. They will not suffer from living in a world where humans possibly have it along sides them. Or are you implying that with this new grown power humans would act beastly, without rhythm or reason towards them?"  
"I do not imply. I am stating fact." The smile faded off of his lips.  
"And what evidence do you have to support this...'fact'?"  
  
Frisk placed her thumb up to her mouth and bit down on the nail. "History." Releasing it, she placed her hand behind her to join with the other before turning to face Majerus. "Or should I say, my own, history." All false pretenses of camaraderie fell off of the man’s face and only a stony expression rested in its place.  
  
"Explain yourself."  
  
"You speak of bringing men more power but you have forgotten something very important. Power and emotions do not go hand in hand. Humans, our hearts, our souls, run on whatever emotions we feel. Yes, I cannot deny the headway we would make as a race if we had magic on our side." She frowned deeply. "But one cannot deny the amount of damage we will do if we possessed it either. I have seen hatred burning within the eyes of men." In her mind, she relived the looks of hatred her monsters received the moment they emerged from the underground. "I have witnessed the moment when my most talented mentor gave into anger and prejudice only to lose reason." She clutched her hands, remembering each lash that Helena delivered.   
  
"In our daily lives alone from the news, from the streets, from history I have seen how humans grow a chain of revenge driven only by hatred. I have experienced more than enough insane reactions against rationality." Despite his growing visible rage, Frisk continued on. "No matter how much humans modernize, no matter how tightly we attempt to hold on to the morals and ethics our individual cultures hold us to we are a race of senseless, mindless creatures. Our individual beliefs and the emotions attached to them will always win over whatever rationality you think they possess." Sighing, the little girl moved back to her seat and sat down.  
  
"The moment you give our race magic is the moment you should prepare for war. There will be more than one nation that will come after my monsters and myself." Sans put his hand back on her shoulder and she reached up once more to place her hand back over his. "But the moment that war is over you open yourself up to World War III... And IV... And V. You want to give our race so much power but you have forgotten something important yourself, Gabriel." The rage that came over his face at his name almost made her want to smile however she held fast. "I maybe human by race and blood, but my heart is with my monsters. Anything that seeks to bring them harm is my enemy."  
  
It took Majerus a short time to regain himself from showing his anger but when he did, he looked at her coldly. "...It is a pity, child. You could have helped ushered in a new age. You don't truly understand what you are getting yourself into upon rejecting my offer."  
"On the contrary, I know exactly what I am signing up for."  
He held her gaze. "I will give you until the end of the week to consider, child. Do not act so rashly." Frisk smiled and placed her hands on her knees before bowing her head apologetically.  
"It is time that is unneeded. I believe our business here is done. Goodbye Monsieur." With one, last glare the man rose and moved to leave.

It wasn't until the man was completely out of the room that Frisk rose and dug her hands within her pockets. She pulled out her phone and after pushing a few numbers, held it to her ear. "...Undyne? Did you get everything?" She paused before smiling. "Good." Pulling it from her ear, the little girl hung up and turned to her companion who appeared next to her.   
  
"It's worse than we thought."  
"Rather it’s just as bad as we thought it would be. Somehow I don't think Aimé will be amused when he realizes what Majerus is up to."  
  
Frisk frowned and sighed. "Sans, I need you to go get your old notes from when you worked with Alphys."  
"Kid?"  
"Something tells me we're going to need it..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mama's baby.  
> Gaster's maybe.


	14. El Manana

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "You said the party would be in two chapters!"  
> Yup, I lied. 
> 
> El Manana-Gorillaz

_“Sorry I can’t make it home this weekend, babe. Everything is going from zero to hundred over here and with Frisk remaining in the manor over the weekend I don’t feel comfortable going home.”_   
  
_“No problem! I understand but wouldn’t Sans and Papyrus be sufficient enough to look after Frisk?”_   
  
_“I don’t doubt the two bone heads, but considering what we heard during Frisk’s meeting with Majerus I am not going to leave anything up to chance.”_   
  
_“That’s why you were the captain of the guard, no doubt Frisk will appreciate it.”_   
  
_“You know it! The kid tried to get me to go but after a forceful negotiation I managed to get her to see things my way.”_   
  
_“Hehe, be gentle with her, hun. I don’t want you and Sans to get into a fight because you accidently mishandled her.”_   
  
_“She can take it. But that reminds me, did you ever finish up your project you were working on?”_   
  
_“…Yes and no… I just need to do some field research before I can say it is a success or not…”_   
  
_“You got this, hun! After all those hours you’re putting in you’ll have this pack down.”_   
  
_“I hope so…”_   
  
_“Shit…. I gotta run, Al. Talk to you later?”_   
  
_“You know it!”_   
  
_“Kisses!”_   
  
_“Chu!”_

  
She looked at her phone with mixed feelings. There was little doubt in her mind that if what she really knew what she was doing her wife’s tone would be completely different. She didn’t like keeping it from her but it was the only way she could work in peace.  
  
Determination was a funny thing.

Humans, no matter what their souls were colored, all had it to some degree and monsters did not. Except one. She knew that Undyne was getting suspicious and concerned over the amount of time she spent in her laboratory, especially when she was home. She managed to convince the woman that she was just excited about a break through that she had made however it was a half-truth. There was excitement over the breakthrough she had finally achieved but it wasn’t for the reasons she had relied to her wife.  
  
Flowey was the product of injecting DT into a monster boss’ corpse. The DT injected was pulled out from multiple fallen humans but even in spite of that, upon forming Flowey managed to use it to produce his own. It was a ponder that she didn’t have time to explore further but it was one that helped her find a solution… Or at least, a solution she hoped would help…  
  
Moving her hands away from the keyboard, Alphys sighed. Determination on the surface worked differently from than it did in the underground. It was as if in the underground played by its own rules in terms of it. Upon the surface, humans were plentiful. It was easy to think that it was hard to manipulate the world around you with determination when there was an entire race who could tap into it. But that wasn’t how it worked in the underground. Determination was so rare there that, when the original children fell, they had to move quickly to pull the DT from their souls. She was sure that if they had a black market in the underground, DT would be the most valuable resource, but she digressed.  
  
When they were in the underground, Flowey was the biggest influence of determination until Frisk fell. He was the one who was able to change the time lines and overcome events as if it was an episode he could rewind and reset at will. But here, he was on the bottom of the totem pole before monsters. But if she could get him back into the underground… If she could get him back into the lab… Maybe she could use his determination to help revert the damage she had done to him. Alphys stared at the computer screen and frowned. That was where the problem lied… How in the world was she going to convince Flowey to let her bring him to the underground? After everything she put him through, she would be surprised if he allowed her to even walk near him without striking her down.  
  
 _“You want to apologize?”_  
But she had to try…  
 _“You want me to forgive you?”  
_ She had to try to set things right.  
 _“Then change me **back.** ”  
_She placed her hands back on her keyboard and began to type on vigorously. Her printer sounded off in the background and she sighed.  
  
Looking to the side, she pursed her lips the moment her eyes locked on to a vile of red liquid that sat near her. It was hardly strange that she had a sample of almost every being she came into contact with. Afterall in the underground she was the next best thing to a doctor when need be. And yet, this route is what created Flowey in the first place. This route is what brought the Amalgamates to life. But… If this meant she could bring Flowey…Asriel back…  
  
Alphys hesitated but soon grabbed the vile and rose. Moving to the printer she grabbed the paper she had printed out and held it close to her chest. She would sin once more and deal with the guilt crawling upon her back if it meant setting things right.

* * *

He wondered if he should see Frisk before he left.  
  
Without a doubt, he was still sassy when it came to talking to the girl but they had been on good terms still. He had even let her hug him without squirming last time (or at least too much). Even though he remained outside for the most part in the park, humans didn’t know how to be quiet. He heard of how she was learning about how to be a good ambassador and she had even brought her entourage to help. No doubt if he tracked her down, the smiling trash bag would be present. But it would be okay if he could see her just for a bit.  
  
A part of him wanted to say that he was lonely but he thought it was more than that. After that stupid lizard spoke to him, he couldn’t keep his mind off of the others. He wondered if Papyrus had made 100 friends yet. No doubt Frisk would have to explain to him that every human wasn’t a person to befriend if he hadn’t learned that already. He also laughed at the fleeting idea that maybe Sans’ had gotten an actual job. Ya, right. The flower frowned deeply and crossed his leaves in front of his stem.  
  
He wanted to see them. He wanted to be near them. And that was the actually reason why he shouldn’t go to see her. Frisk didn’t force him to stay around the first time but if they had a moment to reunite, he knew his resolve to stay away would break. Remaining close to her would hurt them both. Remaining near his parents… Well that would be utter hell. And so, he didn’t go. He just remained. The memory of butterscotch cinnamon and the laughter he once shared with his family eluded him. However, the footsteps that approached him did not.  
  
“Flowey…?”  
  
God knows, that he had done so much evil. He had killed multiple people. He had rested the world multiple times. He had messed with innocent people and he did it all just to get a feeling. Just to find a reason to push on. Even still, despite all of that, he found himself asking the universe why he was being kicked when he was already down by the reemergence of the stupid lizard. Glaring upwards, the flower scowled. “I swear to god you are really stupider than I thought.” She didn’t answer. “When I told you to piss off, I didn’t mean come back later, stupid bitch.” Again, there was no response from Alphys, not even fidgeting filled the silence.  
  
He couldn’t say that he didn’t try right? That certainly would be his excuse when Frisk found her body anyway.  
  
“I said…” The flower rose up and twisted his expression. His vines pulled up from the ground and shot forth. “FUCK OFF!” he would enjoy this. He would enjoy every single cry that came from her and every sound her body made as he ripped it apart. It wouldn’t solve his problems by he’d be damned if it didn’t lessen them—  
  
“I can change you back!”  
  
Alphys flinched just as the vines stopped in front of her face. The look upon Flowey’s face went from shocked before turning aback into rage.  
“Fucking dirty liar!”  
“I am not lying!”  
  
Scrambling to straighten out her work she hesitated but spoke on. “I can fix what I did. I can change you back into how you were before I messed you up. Before you died… But I can’t do it here.” She swallowed. “We’d have to go back to the underground—” The sound of a slap rang out around them and her glasses found a new home on the ground as did she. Snarling demonically, Flowey gritted his teeth.  
  
“How dare you…? How fucking dare, you ask me to go back there?! After everything I’ve been through, after all you’ve put me through there you want me to go back in that lab?!” Alphys released a soft whimper as she moved to pick herself up and placed a hand to the bleeding cut upon her face. “Why the hell should I go anywhere with you?! You are the one who did this to me! You—”  
  
“I KNOW THAT! I KNOW WHAT I DID!” Tears fell from the woman but she rose in spite of it and picked up her glasses. “But I also know I am the only one who has any chance of turning you back. I have found a way to not only change you back but to sustain you’re form once we turn you back. No more fluctuating. No more turning into a flower. I finally found a way to change you back so you can go home.”  
  
Home. The place he was just pinning about. The place where his mother and father still mourned him. He wanted nothing more than to go back home, there he fucking admitted it. But he also wanted nothing more than to kill the bitch before him. “How the fuck do I know you are telling the truth? Why should I trust you?”  
  
“…You can’t.” Looking up, Alphys clutched the papers against her chest. “But if I am wrong, if I mess up, I will allow you to kill me without a fuss. I am willing to stake my life on changing you back. Even if you cannot trust me, at least you can trust the consequences that will come about if I fail…”  
  
There was a uneasiness that passed between them. Tension didn’t quiet sum it up but they both knew that if he found any deception within her words, she would fall that night. He gritted his teeth and moved in close. “If… If I find out you are lying, if I find out you are deceiving me in anyway, I will not kill you. No killing would be a easy way out for you at that point.” The twisted look that came upon his face sent a chill through her soul but she remained in place. “No, instead I will make you experience the pain you have out everyone through first hand. I will make you inject your own soul with enough DT that even the Amalgamates will steer clear of you. And when that pretty little wife of yours rejects you for going back on your promise I will be more than happy to watch as you kill yourself in shame.”  
  
Slowly, the flower pulled back though he kept up his height. “The underground. Now. I will meet you at the lab.” The lizard nodded her head and watched as Flowey receded into the ground and left her alone. It wasn’t until he was gone that she realized what she had signed herself up for. Hugging her research notes close, Alphys bit down on her lip. “I’m sorry, Undyne…”  
  
It took some time for her to make it to the entrance of the underground. Ebott was some ways away from where the monsters had taken up residence upon the surface but she had expected it. After all, once they were freed, the monsters didn’t want to live so close to the home that once served as their prison. It made sense, but it didn’t make the task of making her way back to where the barrier fell any easier. She was grateful that she did not have to fall down Ebott now that the barrier was down. It would make the journey shorter than if she was forced to walk through the Ruins, Snowdin and the Hotlands to get to the True Lab. Unwilling to stay in the abandoned areas any more than she needed too, Alphys took rushed steps through New Home. She didn’t have to think much about where she was going. Flowey wasn’t a fool, he knew very well that what had to be done had to take place in the true lab.  
  


Alphys found it hard to keep a strong resolve throughout her journey. At some points her steps would be rushed, anxious to meet Flowey and begin the process. At other points she found herself walking slower, questioning if she should even be there. If she should even be holding the vile of blood within her hands. Pausing, she looked at the item in her hand and sighed.  
  
…Determination was a funny thing…  
  
No matter how monsters attempted to harness it themselves they could never actually have the same grasp over it as humans did.  
  
All except one.  
  
There was never a doubt that out of all the monsters, Flowey was right up there with the strongest. Placing him in the underground ensured that his determination to preserve would not be over come by anyone else. But his determination would not be enough. In terms of everything his determination would always be second best to one person’s. One child’s determination. Using Frisk’s blood in such a manner was unprecedented and she knew that by venturing down this road even if the others could look past her deeds for the sake of the outcome, Sans would never trust her again.  
  
Undyne would always question if she was telling the truth.  
  
She blinked, realizing that she had stopped walking before taking a deep breath. It didn’t matter. None of that mattered. Right now, all that mattered was getting to the lab and making sure Flowey didn’t murder her before she finished her work.  
  
Carrying on thoughtlessly, Alphys soon found herself trudging along her old lab. She smiled gently at the sight of some of her old things but did not linger. The True Lab was not that far away. A feeling of dread came over her as she entered the laboratory and she shuddered before calling out. “F-Flowey? A-Are you h-here?”  
“Ugh are we back to the stuttering again?”  
Alphys released a scream and turned around in fear. The flower looked at her with pure disinterest at her dramatics before rolling his eyes. “I honestly don’t understand how you haven’t killed yourself with the constant heart attacks you have on a daily.” She took a moment to compose herself before moving off to the side and turning on the lights.  
  
“I-It’s going to take a moment to turn on everything. I need to make sure things are in working order still before we continue on. The good thing is we never actually shut down the Core before we went to the surface so the power supply down here is still running at full force. Based off of what I could gather remotely, aside from some digital maintenance, it should be fine.”  
“Riveting. Now do you want to explain just how exactly you intend to change me back?”  
  
She made her way to her desk and sat down as she flipped her computer on. Though she’d be hard pressed to admit it she really did miss working there. “Its quite simple really. You are perhaps the only monster so far with a grasp over determination. As you have seen, other monsters just melt or fall apart with DT injected into them. However, upon the surface your determination amounts to nothing. Its not because you are weak, but because the determination of the human race cancels yours out. Much like how Frisk’s determination canceled yours out when she fell into the underground. Its how she was able to take over the ability to reset.” The flower froze.  
  
“How do you know about that?”  
“Not to long after we came to the surface, about a year after, Frisk tried to kill herself to stop the threat of a reset stealing away what we had all worked for. Sans, thankfully, was there to stop her but in a attempt to make sure she wouldn’t do it again, he revealed everything to us.” His eyes grew wide.  
“My parents…”  
“They know… I believe Asgore has even asked Frisk where you were but I don’t think she told him. She respects your privacy and knows you don’t want to face them until you are ready.”  
  
Flowey fell silent as his mind tried hard to process what she had told him. She didn’t try to engage with him further, giving him a moment to settle. “What does Frisk have to do with changing me back?”  
“Here, in the underground, without humans nearby your determination reigns supreme without anyone present who could override you. This means that when you are able to focus on using it to force your form along with the extra DT I will administer into you.”  
He snorted. “You mean to tell me that all I need to return back to how I was is will and a cup full of DT? Somehow, I doubt that.”  
  
“Not at all, but it is one of the main components. If you will it with the extra amount of DT you might be able to revert back for just a microsecond. But your determination is nothing compared to a human. Even with the added DT it will do nothing but revert you back immediately. There is little we can do to stop that.”  
“Then why the hell am I even here if I am just going to change back immediately?”  
  
Alphys stopped typing and turned back to the flower with tired eyes. “Because I found a way to by pass that. Just like how Frisk overrode you before, if we use her to help your own DT persist you will be able to push past your limitations and reform your body on your own with out reverting back.” Flowey stared at her for a solid second before looking around wildly and turning his head upside down.  
  
“Is she invisible?”  
“W…What?”  
“Frisk. Is Frisk invisible?”  
“N-no! Of course not!”  
“Then how the fuck are we going to use her to help me if shes not here?!”  
  
It was impossible to stop the headache that was growing within her but she sighed in exasperation and rubbed her temples. “Because I have her blood! There is enough of her in this vile to help you once we start the process. I am often the one who sees to her medical needs as well as the other monsters. I always have samples of her blood just in case she is ever sick or something goes wrong. It is…not something I am proud of but it is possibly the only way to turn you back.” She turned back to the computer and began to type once more. “Besides, I hardly think Frisk will care as long as she can have you by her side. She will understand.”  
  
That he didn’t doubt for a moment. However, what he did question was how quickly she moved to throw away her promise not to revert back to her old ways in order to help change him back. But who was he to say any thing when in the end he was the one who would benefit from it all?  
  
“Everything seems to be fine for the most part but it will take me some time to get everything set up. I don’t recommend going too far away in the meantime. When I am ready, I will call you.” The flower raised a eyebrow but didn’t say anything as he receded back into the ground. For once she was glad for the silence. She would need all the focus she could get in order to get everything up to par.

Hours went by but she hardly noticed it as she worked on. She looked over everything once, twice, hell even three times to make sure that absolutely nothing that she could control would go wrong. Even though she was certain it was fine, she even made her way to the Core to look over it as much as she could before an eerie feeling caused her to leave. After eight hours of hard work and no rest she was finally ready.  
  


“Flowey! I’m ready.” Alphys moved to her desk and filled her syringes, one with DT and the other with Frisk’s blood. When she turned back around, the flower was present. Coming close to him, she kneeled down. “When I inject you with the DT you need to do everything you can to focus on your old form. The extra determination should help you to project it. Once it is up, I will inject Frisk’s blood in order to help you retain it.” He lurched back slightly when the needle was presented to him and she frowned. “I’m sorry I—”  
“Stop apologizing damn it.” The flower folded his leaves in front of him. “Just… Get on with it.” Alphys hesitated before nodding.  
  
“I’ll have to inject this into the back of your head.”  
  
“Fan- _fucking_ -tastic…”  
  
“Just remember, focus on your form.” She received a stiff nod from him before moving in.  
  
There was a moment in between bringing the needle to him and injecting it where Alphys prayed to every Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Western and Monster folklore god that she knew that this would work. She didn’t want to die and more importantly she didn’t want to mess Flowey up any more than she already had. After slowly pushing the DT down the syringe and emptying it into him there was a pause. At first, her heart completely dropped as she believed that it didn’t work. Panic rose as she believed that her time was up. That panic soon went away when the flower began to react.  
  
Seizure like spasms went through Flowey as his body reacted to the foreign DT and for the first time in a long time he truly felt fear. For a moment he thought, no, he knew he was going to die. This was it. He was going to die just as he came into this world. The pain increased until tears poured freely from his eyes. He didn’t want to die. He didn’t want to die.  
  
He wanted to go home.  
  
He wanted to be with his parents.  
  
He wanted to talk shit with the smiling trash bag.  
  
He wanted to see Frisk.  
  
He wanted to live the life that was taking from him.  
  
He didn’t want to die…

_*As your life force faded away you held on to the thoughts and memories of those you loved._

_*For a moment you moved to take your final breath…_

_  
  
  
*But you **refused**. **  
  
**_

Alphys watched in horror as the flower began to give in to the seizures. This wasn’t right. This wasn’t right! He shouldn’t be dying he—  
  
It started off as a spark. A small pink spark that hovered over his body. He wouldn’t die. He would live. He wouldn’t give up. He would preserve. He wanted his life back… And he would have it.  
  
That was his determination.  
  
Like a glitch, the flower’s appearance began to morph sporadically. The transformation was gruesome as she witnessed Flowey morph and seize upon the floor as his body sought to break and conform. However, there was never a feeling of relief like the one that came upon her when his form began to settle. Or so she though. He was only given a moments reprieve before pain shot through his body and using a voice that hadn’t been used in years he screamed out.  
  
 **“FUCKING USE IT!”**  
  
It snapped Alphys out of her daze and with haste she took the other syringe and stabbed it into his chest. The spark, now a deeper tint of pink, grew before the room became engulfed in its glow. He continued to scream while his body filled him with pain all and Alphys moved to shield her self from the residual effects. The screams died down with the light but when they stopped a soft glow from his chest did not. Alphys turned around hesitantly and looked on in utter awe at the sight in front of her.  
  
“Asriel…”  
  
Unconscious, ragged and twitching from the sensations his body had long forgotten rested the once dead prince of the underground. She paid no mind to the fact that he was as naked as a new born babe nor that his body still bore the marks from the attacks he had suffered long ago. All she knew what that she did it. They did it. Alphys dropped to her knees and smiled. He was finally home…

* * *

It was…a horrible joke.

To have a dream so real that he believed he was finally whole again. It was even more of a horrible joke when he tried to open his eyes and move his vines only realize that the joke was on him. Everything in the darken room was bright. It was as if a veil had been lifted from over his eyes and he could see clearer. And he fucking hated it. A groan left his lips and he grumbled before raising his leaf… Hand?  
  
  
… _Hand?!_  
  
With little regard to the fact that his head was screaming at him to stop moving and that his body was retaliating by shooting pain through him, the goat man sat up and looked down at his body inspecting ever last part. He felt shock… He felt. …He. **_Felt._** It was impossible. He was only supposed to regain his body there was no way that— There was no hesitation as he focused but unlike the multiples and failures to do so when he was a plant this time there was a reaction. In front of his chest, as if it had always been there, came a pink soul. His soul… His.  
  
“Pink represents Tenacity. The quality or fact of being determined. I shouldn’t be surprised considering how we came to this result.” He jumped in place but turned and snarled at the presence he hadn’t detected before only to see the royal scientist standing next to him. Smiling warily, she held her hands up in surrender. “E-Easy, Asriel. Its okay…” The red eyed goat stared at her for some time before turning his head back to his soul. Alphys shuffled in place, wondering if she should continue to try to speak to him or give him time. He answered the question for her when he opened his mouth.  
  
“…I’m… Back…” Alphys blinked and smiled softly.  
“We did it… It was touch and go for the longest time. I honestly thought I was going to lose you there but it looks like we have Frisk to thank for that.” At the mention of the human he snapped his head over to her.  
“I wan to see her…” Alphys moved away to grab a glass of water from her desk to hand over to him. He took it graciously and drank it greedily. As a plant he never worried about a dry throat. The dirt had enough moisture at all times for him to absorb if he needed it. As a proper monster however it just felt like a desert that was being soothed with rain for the first time.  
  
“I figured you would but we can’t move you just yet. I want to stay here for a few days with you so we can make sure you are absolutely stable. Not to mention you have gone so long without your limbs I would be surprised if you could walk without falling straight down. Not to mention…” She looked down at his soul and he followed her eyes. “I was sure that you would be able to rebuild a soul with your determination and Frisk’s blood. I didn’t think you would gain a colored soul. I don’t know of a monster who has ever had a colored soul. This is…unprecedented. I’m sure you’ll be fine with it but until we can make sure you don’t collapse on the spot we aren’t going anywhere.”  
  
He moved to argue but instead had to steady himself as the world begin to spin. It seemed like his body was finally tired of his shit. He looked up when he picked up the sounds of rustling and watched as Alphys brought over a thicker blanket than the flimsy one that rested upon him. “There are still some things in the underground we can use until we can bring you to the others. Go lay down… When you wake up I’ll have some more things for you and we can see just how well we really did.” His mind wanted him to sass the woman, get up and walk the hell out.  
  
But his body reacted first and soon he found himself laying back on a cot with the blanket covering him before he knew it. He kept his soul out. He could have returned it at any time but… He needed to keep it out. He needed to make sure it was real. Gently, he placed his hand over the soul and shivered at the sheer warmth it gave off. When he was a flower, he would have given anything to truly feel something. Now, he felt everything and he had forgotten just how exhausting it was.  
  
To be honest, it really hadn't hit him that he was finally whole again. In his tired state, read exhausted, he could only focus on the fact that he had a soul once more. Even still, there was one thing he had to do.  
  
"Alphys..."  
"Yes?"  
  
The prince turned his head towards her and looked at her before closing his eyes and drifting off.

"I forgive you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> $20 bucks says Sans will not be happy--any bets?
> 
> A new challenge enters the ring~ 
> 
> Majerus, meet big brother.  
> Big brother, meet trash.
> 
> Oh I'm gonna have fun with this~
> 
> Gotta wrap up some ends before the party hence why I didn't rush into it. Enjoy the ride kids.


	15. Come Back Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come Back Home - Unplugged by 2NE1
> 
> Because I am K-Pop fan trash. 
> 
> TIME TO BURN MORE ALPHYS RELATIONSHIPS WOOOO!
> 
> Also guys...thank you so much for your support and your comments. It really pushes me forward when it comes to continuing this story. <3

“Inhale, breathe.” He did as he was told though his agitation at how menial these tests were. When he fell asleep, he stayed asleep for a week. He was honestly shocked by how long he was out but Alphys was not. It was normal to seek rest after one’s body had been through so much, she said. Now if only his body would stop feeling so tired. Asriel truly thought that after waking up he would be ready to go. He quickly found out that that was not the case. Alphys was right when she stated he didn’t have function over his legs properly. Upon trying to stand for the first time he quickly became acquainted with the floor. He quickly silenced Alphys’ comments with his middle finger and looked away as she helped him up.  
  
Wearing clothes again felt weird. It was a simple outfit. A turtle neck white sweater with black pants. He was relatively surprised that Alphys had such things on hand but she shrugged. “These were left behind by whoever was the scientist before me. I’m just glad they fit.” As was he. Over the past few days, he did his best to past the test he was put up against. They had made progress with his motor skills though he found that he wasn’t up to the speed he wish he could be at. They also made progress over seeing the limitations of his soul. It was indeed heartier than his original one, no doubt due to his new found connection with Frisk. It was strange not being able to think without a flood of emotions rushing forth however he wouldn’t trade it for the world.  
  
“Well, everything seems to be fine and stable. Have you felt anything off with your soul?” Asriel gave her a deadpanned look but reframed from being sarcastic.  
“Nothing…bad.” Reaching up he placed his hand over where his soul rested within his body. “It’s been so long since I have felt anything… It’s overwhelming.”  
“I bet. I do not think it is best to have everyone meet you all at once. Perhaps introducing you to them one at a time would be for the best. We wouldn’t want a reaction because you became overwhelmed by emotions.” He nodded. To be honest, although he wanted nothing more than to see everyone, he did not want to have to deal with their energy all at once. “Have you put any thought into who you want to see first? Maybe Frisk—”  
  
“My father.” Asriel frowned. “I don’t think I could deal with my mother’s…overbearing attentiveness right now. I don’t want to be suffocated.” He looked up at Alphys with half lidded ruby eyes. “And he knows how to keep a secret. Frisk may be far too busy at to come all the way to Ebott and I don’t want to even see the smiling trash bag yet.” Alphys smiled hesitantly.  
  
“You know he does have a name…”  
“I know.”  
“…”  
“…”  
“So—”  
“I still don’t want to see the smiling trash bag.”  
  
One step at a time.  
  
Alphys shook her head and looked down at her clip board. “I can most definitely get Asgore down here but he will not want to leave the moment he sees you. You know this right?”  
“That’s fine. I don’t want him to for some time anyway. Besides we can see how easily I can acclimate to others with him here.”  
“True… I am pretty sure I can get him here today if you want or do you want time to prepare?”  
He snorted. “I doubt there is anything I can prepare for. Just… Get him here.”  
  
She moved to her desk and placed her clip board down. “Alright. There is no reception down here for the surface so I have to go top side. Will you be okay down here by yourself?” On que, Asriel laid back on his cot and closed his eyes.  
  
“Considering I am going to probably go right back to sleep? Ya I’ll be fine.”  
“W-Well there is food over there if you need it.”  
“Hmm hum.”  
“And there is some water there too.”  
“Yup.”  
“And if you need—”  
“You are making it really hard to suppress my inner Flowey urges to tell you to fuck off.” The woman huffed.  
  
“Rude… I’ll be back in a few hours.” He didn’t bother to grace her with a response past lifting his hand up and giving a half assed wave.  
  
The fear that went through her was nothing compared to the fear she felt when she believed that Asriel had died in the process of changing. However, it was fear none the less. Alphys had not been upon the surface in days and she knew that Undyne would be raising hell looking for her. The moment she stepped out upon the surface; her fears were confirmed. Thirty-seven missed calls, forty-five unread messages. She bit down on her lip and did her best to ignore the notifications as she opened the dial pad and called for the king.  
  
“Hello?”  
“H-Hello? Asgore?” There was a sight breath of relief from the man at the sound of her voice.  
“Alphys? Where on earth have you been? Undyne has been going crazy looking for you. You’ve had us all worried.” The scientist shuffled her feet.  
“Sorry but I was tending to something important.”  
“For two weeks straight?” This wasn’t going to be easy…  
  
“I honestly cannot explain how… precarious this situation is Asgore… But I do need you to meet me at Ebott immediately. I will explain when you arrive but it is important that you come alone. I can’t handle dealing with the others.” The king remained silent and her anxiety sky rocketed. She could feel his suspiciousness from a mile away and he was right to feel that way. But she just hoped that he agreed to come without too much fuss.  
  
“If I come will you tell me everything you have been up too for the past two weeks?”  
“Every single thing. Right now, I’m pretty sure you are the only one who can handle the knowledge without completely losing it.” She hoped. She waited on baited breath until the king sighed. “Frisk is home. I do not think I can slip out right now. However, she will be leaving soon and when she does, I will come to Ebott.”  
She released a breath she didn’t even know she was holding and smiled softly. “Thank you, Asgore.”  
“Do you need me to bring anything?”  
“Food would be appreciated. I’m running out of what was left in my lab.”  
“Understood. I shall see you then.” Alphys looked down at her phone and sighed in relief. The fear was still very present however she was relieved that the king was willing to come to her. Until then all she had to do was wait.  
  
The sun was setting by the time the silhouette of the king made its way to the site where the barrier fell. He was on edge from the moment their phone call ended and Frisk had picked up on it quickly. He had done his best to dissuade the little girl from inquiring too much but by the look in her eyes she knew something was up. To be honest, his own nerves were flaring up at the idea of being called to witness one of Alphys’ experiments. He knew very well where her experiments ended up and he didn’t want to be witness to a new regret. To a new Flowey.  
  
He did his best to push past the thought as the woman came into view. “Oh! G-Good you’re here! Come I-I’ll explain as we walk.” The king nodded but remained silent allowing the woman the chance to explain herself and the mystery she sought to reveal to him. “I know you are… Suspicious of me. I-It isn’t like me to disappear like that and leave everyone worrying but this was… Too important to explain before I left.” They walked through the entrance and when they made their way through his old garden he smiled. So many memories…  
  
“Two weeks ago, the Monday where Frisk was asked to returned back to the manor urgently, I-I took my time going home. Undyne had been going on about how I needed to get out of the house more so I had decided at the time to go through the park.” She smiled sadly. “I never expected to encounter anything or anyone but on the way there I… I met someone I had wronged in the underground… Someone I never got the chance to apologize to… The chance to help after all I did to them.” She laughed in slight defeat. “But he wasn’t going to hear anything I said. To be honest I was half expecting to die that day.”  
  
“Was it a Amalgamate?”  
“Not quite… All the Amalgamates came before him. You see the Amalgamates were trials and errors however he was the final result of years of data, of testing and DT extracting.” The conversation drifted off as they both walked through the judgement hall. The first time she had walked through the hall upon returning she could feel the weight of her sins upon her shoulders. They were still there however she felt that the weight was lighter.  
  
“I am still not sure why you couldn’t bring this being to us instead of having to work in the underground.”  
“The laboratory that I have on the surface is nice but it is nothing compared to the years or machinery that we have created in the labs here. The person that I was helping needed all of the resources that I could spare and although I managed to work out a way to help them above ground, I could not actually go through with the procedure there. Gods only know how many things would have went wrong. I hardly have room to put an extra monitor down there nevertheless a patient that I am helping.”  
  
The king pondered on her words before humming. “I suppose you are right however what does this have to do with me? I am afraid that there is little I know in terms of science that can help you and this patient of yours.” Alphys smiled softly.  
“Perhaps, but he asked to see you and I couldn’t deny him his request.”  
  
Asgore looked down at the woman and narrowed his eyes slightly. He wanted nothing more than to pull direct answers from Alphys but he knew by how she was being vague that she did not wish to give away this mystery patient’s identity. The walkthrough New Home was filled with surface level conversations about memories and days long gone. At some memories, he couldn’t help but to laugh. At other memories, they would smile more at the thought of how far they have come. The closer they got to the Hotlands however, the quieter it became between the two. And after a long journey they finally arrived at the True Lab. Stopping before a door Alphys hesitated.  
  
“…P-Please be gentle with him… He’s still a little out of it.” He raised an eyebrow but didn’t managed to get a word out as she opened the door and lead him downwards.  
  
He had woken up not too long ago. He was still tired and he tried to force himself back into sleep but his body wasn’t having it. Sitting at the desk with the food in front of him, he ate silently but perked up when he heard the door opening. “I know that the food here is what was left behind but I’m really gonna need prayers if the food on the surface taste just like this.” Heavier footsteps caught his attention and he turned his head only for his eyes to go wide.  
  
It had been a long time since he had gotten a proper good look at his father… The year wore down on the old king and he could see it on his face but nothing was as apparent as the shock at the sight of him. When he changed back into his original body, he retained his adult form but in front of his father he felt like a child once more. He couldn’t handle how their eyes locked and once he found the will, he looked away. “Hey…Dad…”  
  
There were somethings you could never describe to another person. No matter how hard you tried, no matter how much you yearned to express it; there were never any words one could use for some things. One of those things was the loss of a child. When his daughter died, his heart broke for the little one who had become his little girl. But when his heir died the state of grief that overcame him changed him for the worst. Frisk was apart of the reason that he was able to change his ways once more. With the little girl who was now his, he found the hole in his heart filled just a bit. But even the precious child who had set them all free, the loss of his son was a loss that would forever break him.

  
  
And then he found out his child was alive.

  
  
Brought back in the form of a soulless flower that didn’t even resemble the child he had loss; his child found a new but unfulfilling life. But that was okay. That was all okay as long as his boy had a chance at life again. It wasn’t until he stood in front of his boy as he remembered him, as he lost him, that he realized that it wasn’t okay. He didn’t deserve to be a soulless flower. He didn’t deserve to live life unable to feel. He deserved a proper second chance. And he was finally getting it, along with him and his mother.  
  
Asgore stared on in utter disbelief and Alphys shifted behind him. “When I was in the park, I came across Flowey… After that interaction I began to work on ways to return him back to how he once was…” Asriel looked up nervously through his eyelashes but looked back down when he realized his father was still looking at him. Alphys continued to speak in a attempt to explain but his father couldn’t react. No, not couldn’t. He was still too shocked to do so. But he soon found his body moving before his mind could catch up. In a flash, Asriel found himself in Asgore’s arms being held close to his father’s chest as if the moment was fleeting. For a moment he didn’t know how to react. It had been… so long… So damn long… Hesitantly, Asriel reached out and wrapped his arms around his father while pressing his face against his chest.  
  
“My boy…” Asriel clutched his father’s shirt tightly as his emotions overwhelmed him but he did nothing to stop the tears that fell from him. “My boy…” He didn’t want to leave… there was a security in his father’s arms he hadn’t felt in a long time. He knew his sins; he knew exactly what he had done however he didn’t care. He was just happy that he was back and he loved the king for it. When Asgore pulled back he took his son’s face into his hands.  
  
“I never thought I would be able to see you again… But I don’t understand, why did you only ask for me?” His son scoffed softly.  
“Because I am tired… I’m getting better but I’m still tired all the time. I honestly do not have the emotional compacity to deal with mom right now. She will try to take over everything and right now I really just need Alphys to do what she needs to in peace. When I am up for it, I’ll go see her but I at least wanted you here…” The king placed a tender hand on his head and smiled brightly.  
“Of course, we have all the time in the world…”  
  
Alphys clutched her hands to her chest as she watched the two reconnect. It brought joy to her heart and she soon remembered she had someone to reconnect with herself. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes knowing that the hard part wasn’t even close to being over. “I-I’ll give you two some time to speak alone. I need to call Undyne. She went back with Frisk yes?”  
  
Asgore nodded. “After much shoving from everyone. She was ready to remain behind and tear up the town looking for you. I recommend calling her before Frisk simply lets her leave. The little one hardly seemed in the mood to deal with her…” Alphys sighed weakly but gave them a smile before turning towards the door.  
  
The two men remained quiet until she was gone at which point Asriel pulled away. “…I’m sure you have questions…?”  
“More than a few but to be honest there is only one burning question. How?”  
Asriel rubbed the back of his neck and moved to sit down on the cot. “I remember how Alphys explained it but for further science you’ll have to ask her. I was… Am the only Monster with his own brand of determination. However, upon the surface that means little to nothing. She figured out that the underground works on its own set of rules considering that I was the one with the most determination before Frisk fell. That wasn’t going to be enough though…” He bit down on his lip as he questions how blunt he should be. He was just thankful that his father was more rational than his mother. “I needed more determination.”  
  
Asgore visibly bristled. “She injected you with more DT…”  
“She had to. There was no way I would have had the determination to force my change if she didn’t. Don’t give me that look, dad… You weren’t there. On my own I would have died.” He almost did.  
“But… From what happened with the Amalgamates, shouldn’t you have melted…?” Asriel, pursed his lips. There would be no easy way to say ‘Oh hey dad, no worries! We just used the blood of my adopted sister to help me push past the side effects of DT being injected into me. Oh, also I have a colored soul now.’  
  
Thank the gods his mother was home.  
  
“I… Didn’t just have DT injected into me. Determination helped me force my form back into how it was before I, you know, died.” They both winced at that. “Alphys said even with the extra DT I would have just transformed back into a plant. So, she had to inject something else into me.”  
“What?” The hard edge to his father’s voice caused him to shift uncomfortably.  
  
“Frisk’s…blood…”  
  
A pin could have been heard and his father’s growing ire was very much present. The king bared his fangs. _“What?”_  
“She didn’t take anything from Frisk recently! I promise! She said it was a sample from when she had her last check up or something?”  
“Why would she inject you with a human’s blood?”  
Asriel sighed. “Because my body would have never been able to sustain itself with out a soul…” Holding a hand over his chest, the prince summoned his soul and looked down at it gently. “…When I was a flower, I felt _nothing_. I could act well but that’s all it was, an act. I knew what emotion to portray and when to portray it but I was never really feeling what I showed. All I ever felt was determination and that is a poor substitute for other emotions. Frisk’s blood helped me to not only push my own form forth but to create my own soul as well. But the side effect is this—a light pink soul. Alphys thinks it’s a mix of monster blood with Frisk’s own that helped create this. She told me it represents Tenacity.”  
  
The king left out a soft laughter and Asriel looked at him. “Tenacity… A form of determination.”  
“I know, surprising right?” They exchanged wary smiles and he willed his soul to go back to where it once was. “I know you are anything but happy that Alphys used Frisk’s blood for essentially an experiment. But with how everything came out… I don’t know. I’m kinda more than willing to give her a pass for this one.”  
  
Asgore frowned at the thought but besides that he left nothing much upon his face. His father was goofy and to be honest a dunce at times (from what he remembered at least), but he was also a leader and damn good at schooling his face. It made him fidget under his gaze. “Don’t just stare at me… Say something.”  
  
“Your mother will not be pleased however I believe your presence will quickly turn her from acting out past glaring at Alphys. Frisk will not care either way. Your sister will just be happy to have you at her side, especially at a time like this.” The king sighed and moved to collect the bag of food he had discarded in his haste to embrace his son. “Sans however will most definitely take issue with this.” Asriel narrowed his eyes.  
  
“Who cares what the smiling tras—” A stern look from his father made him clear his throat. “—What _Sans_ thinks? He wasn’t the one who was a flower…”  
“No, but he was the one Alphys made her promise too. There was a time where you were still just a child where Sans was next to be in line as the royal scientist. I can’t quite recall what happened, but what ever did turned him away from the position and he took up the role as my judge instead.”  
“…So…?”  
“So that means he will indeed judge Alphys for her actions accordingly because once again she went against a code of morals in bringing you back as she did.”  
  
The prince narrowed his eyes. “…That is so stupid. She brought me back. He hasn’t done a damn thing.”  
“Though that maybe the case, she knew this the moment she started this venture.” He handed the bag to his son and gave him a soft smile. “I will make sure she is not judged so harshly… But for now, eat. If your comment is anything to take from, that food you were eating earlier is hardly anything that will sustain you.”  
  
  


The moment she took a step upon the surface her phone went off yet again. This time, she picked up.  
  
“H-Hello?”  
“Alphys!!? Alphys where, the fuck, have you been!? I have been trying to reach you for two weeks now! Two fucking weeks!” Alphys flinched. “I came home and you weren’t there, you weren’t even in your lab and next I find your equipment missing?! Why didn’t you pick up your phone?! Are you okay?! Where you kidnapped?! Where the hell are you?!!” She shuffled her feet and kicked a rock haphazardly.  
  
“R-Remember that experiment I was t-talking about?”  
“What the hell does that have to do with this?!”  
“I-I hit a major b-breakthrough. H-However I couldn’t do anything about it i-in my lab.”  
“So you went AWOL for two fucking weeks?!”  
  
“N-No! I mean… Oh gods… I w-went to the back t-to the underground!” Sometimes Alphys would admit that she relished in the silent moments between herself and Undyne. This was not one of those times.  
“What do you mean you ‘went back to the underground’…?” She was no longer yelling and if anything, her voice went deadly calm.  
  
“I-I didn’t have the equipment I needed on the surface. I had to go back.”  
“Alphys, what were you doing? What is this secret experiment you’ve been working on?” She couldn’t tell her. Not yet. She wanted to. She wanted to more than anything but she knew her wife. She wouldn’t be able to keep her mouth shut to save her. “…Alphys, were you doing something like you were when you created the Amalgamates?”  
  
“NO! No, I—!"  
“Can you swear to me that you were not?” She couldn’t. Because on truth, she wasn’t sure she hadn’t crossed that line herself even though she succeeded. But she couldn’t bring herself to say no either.  
“…A-Are you coming home this w-weekend? With Frisk and the b-brothers…?”  
“Why?” She squeezed her eyes shut at her wife’s sharp tone and the disappointment that laced it.  
“B-Because I will show everyone what I have been doing. M-My patient is with Asgore r-right now. He will be r-ready to see every one w-when you all get back.” For the longest time Undyne said nothing before sucking her teeth.  
  
“Fine, what the hell ever.”  
“I…I-I’m s-sorry Undyne…”  
“Yea. So am I.”  
  
She wasn’t able to say anything else before her wife abruptly hung up the phone. She wasn’t surprised not in the least but she would be lying if she said it didn’t hurt. Alphys pulled her phone to her chest. In a few days everything would be out in the open. In a few days everything would be revealed. She waited all this time to make up for her mistakes, she could wait a few more days.  
  
Undyne clutched her phone tightly to the point where the screen cracked. Alphys had never kept a secret from her. She had never disappeared on her like this before so why now? What the hell was going on now?! The woman snarled and without a thought turned and threw the phone at the wall. She wouldn’t be kept in the dark any longer. She would get her answers even if she had to pry it from someone’s corpse…  
  
The next few days took forever to come and go. Asgore stayed over the first night and for most of the second day. Although he visibly fought himself, after Asriel told him he would be alright he returned home to prepare the house and Toriel for their son’s arrival. Along with the others they discussed the best ways to let Toriel know that Asriel was back. Completely surprising her wasn’t going to work however if he went through and explained everything, she would be a bit more…calm. With his help before he left, Asgore and Alphys managed to help Asriel out of the underground and relocate him to her house for the time being.  
  
“Are you sure you will be alright here, my child?”  
“Shhhh… Do you hear that?”  
“Hear what—?”  
“Its your Toriel voice causing you anxiety.”  
  
The prince snickered as his father lightly popped him over his head before smiling at him gently. “I’ll be fine dad. And you will be too. Stop procrastinating.” Asgore narrowed his eyes.  
“You and your sister truly make me think I am too transparent at times.”  
“If it looks like a window and talks like a window—” This time he dodged his playful pop and chuckled. “If she causes a fuss You can always call me. Actually, you probably should call me after you tell her. It’ll stop her from causing a rampage to see me.” He wasn’t wrong.  
  
Upon arriving home, Asgore kept to himself for some time. He didn’t actively avoid his wife but he didn’t seek her out either. It wasn’t until he was called down for dinner that he was faced with her expression of concern. “There you are! I was worried you had left again.” She gestured for him to sit and he did so with a smile. “Are you alright? It isn’t like you to disappear like that.”  
“I am. I managed to fine Alphys or rather she managed to get a hold of me.”  
“What? That’s great. Did you tell Undyne?”  
“I did not. I do believe that she went to the side and called her though. I was… Rather occupied.” The woman frowned.  
  
“What was she doing for all that time?” The king looked down at his plate.  
“She was…helping out a patient.”  
“What? But she wasn’t in her house or in the lab when we went to check—”  
“Because she wasn’t in that lab. When Alphys called me to meet with her I did so where the barrier fell.” The comment had rendered his wife quiet and she listened with baited breath for an answer. “Please bear with me. This is all new to me as well and I processing it just the same…” Expecting the worse, Toriel took his hand into his and he gave her a wary smile. “When I arrived to the barrier, we proceeded to enter the underground. At first, to be honest, I was worried that Alphys had made another mistake similar to the ones she had made with the Amalgamates.” Toriel squeezed his hand but he continued.  
  
“With how she continued to avoid the topic I truly believe that was the case and I was waiting to see the worse. But it was…” He closed his eyes. There was no reason to beat around the bush. “She found Flowey.” The queen’s grip on his hand weakened but he tightened his own upon looking at her.  
“W-Where? Where is he? Is he okay?! What did she do to him did she—”  
“Calm Toriel… Calm. Our child is fine. He is more than fine.” Bringing her hand up, he smiled gently. “She did it, Tori. She managed to bring him back. He is no longer a flower. He has his own soul.” The words froze her in her place and her mind stopped. Her child was back. Her little boy was alive.  
  
“H…How…?”  
“I…I am not completely sure myself. But he is stable, tired a lot from the effects of the transformation but stable none the less. The day I was gone I spent my time with him because he asked for me.” Toriel frowned but before she could ask, he responded. “He didn’t want to come to you just in case he something went wrong. You know Asriel wouldn’t want to show himself to you if there was a possibility of losing himself. When everyone comes back on Saturday, Alphys will bring him over.” It was a half truth but she was none the wise and accepted it. It wasn’t the main focus on her mind anyway.  
  
“He’s… He’s back…” Her eyes filled with tears as a smile, brighter than any smile he’d seen on her since their children died all those years ago, came upon her. “He’s really back…” She clutched his hand like it was a life line and he smiled back. There would never be enough words to describe how it felt to lose a child. And yet there was one word that summed up what it felt like to have them come back home—relief.  
  
  
“HUMAN! YOU SHOULD BE WALKING! IT IS A GREAT FORM OF EXERCISE FOR A GROWING CHILD SUCH AS YOURSELF.” Frisk sat upon Sans’ shoulders as the group walked out of the grocery store. The little girl smiled and rested the side of her cheek upon the top of Sans’ head.  
  


“Don’t wanna. If I can walk without moving might as well.”  
“Hehe, that’s my kid.”  
“SANS DO NOT ENCOURAGE HER! OH MY GOD SHE HAS BECOME A TINY VERSION OF YOU!!”  
“Aw don’t be that way Pap. Sans and I think I’m pearfect.”  
  
The screech that left the talk skeleton left his brother and the human in stitches. They high fived each other and snickered amongst themselves but as Sans continued to tease his brother, Frisk looked back. Undyne had been acting rather…off since her conversation with Alphys. She didn’t get into specifics when asked about it but she could tell that what ever they spoke about didn’t end pretty. Frisk side eyed the distracted woman but soon turned away to focus on the brother’s once again. If they couldn’t resolve it by themselves by the end of the weekend, she would interfere but until then she had no reason to stick her nose in their business.  
  
“Undyne?” The woman looked up at the child. “Let’s go. Its unlike you to lag behind.” Undyne gave a smile but it didn’t reach her eyes.  
“Talking shit, punk?”  
“People who talk shit often have something to prove.” Frisk smiled and moved to press her cheek back down upon Sans’ skull. “I don’t have to prove you are being slow at all, old woman.” The jab truly did catch Undyne off guard and twitching her eye she grinned.  
“Dafuq did you say to me?! Get down off of him and fight me, punk!!” The child looked up and stuck her tongue only to laugh as Sans teleported out of the way to dodge a spear.  
  
“Kid, I thought we were trying to not do unnecessary movements…?” He teleported again and shook his head at Frisk’s chuckle.  
“Technically, we’re teleporting. Not the same.”  
“COME BACK HERE!”  
“Last one home is dead!”  
  
She was definitely going to be sick after teleporting with Sans the entire way home. It never stopped surprising her, even having been on the other side of it, at how quickly her lazy skeleton could move. “STOP CHEATING SANS AND COME BACK AND FIGHT ME!!” Although she did feel bad that they were leaving Papyrus in their dust as they tried not to get killed.  
“Let’s ends this huh, kid?” And with that the pair disappeared completely only to reappear in front of the house. Frisk laughed.  
“You that’s just gonna make her more mad right?”  
“Ya but Shes never going to start a fight in Tori’s house. Now come on, let’s get these Groceries to Tori.”  
  
Reaching up, he placed the girl on the ground and walked after her slowly as she ran inside. “Mum! Dad! I’m home!” There was no one present in the living room and at first, she found it odd but the voices that sounded off in the kitchen brushed away her concerns. Smiling from ear to ear, she took off and ran through the doorway. “Mum! Dad! I’m—”  
  
Their eyes met instantly and her heart stopped. The bag slipped out of her hands and fell to the floor as Sans came to stand behind her. He was just as shocked at the sight however his reaction was to place his hands upon her shoulders in case he needed to get them out of there. But that didn’t bother her. She didn’t pay attention to the words that left Sans or her mother. She didn’t notice the worried look her father gave her or how Alphys fidgeted with an explanation.  
  
All she saw was _him_ and the moment she realized he was really there she moved. The little girl tackled the monster with a force that sent them both back to the floor and hugged him tightly. His laughter jostled her slightly but she didn’t care.  
“Jeez, Frisk. Are you trying to knock my soul out of me?” He stopped his comments when the little girl looked up with a tear stained face smiling from ear to ear.  
“You’re home… You’re finally home…”  
  
Whatever smart ass comment he had died on his tongue in the face of his sister’s pure happiness at having him back. Gently, Asriel moved to gather her in her arms and hugged her tightly. They finally made it. Finally, they both got to experience life above ground as they should have. The two siblings were so immersed with each other that they didn’t noticed the tension that passed through the skeleton or how his eyes locked on firmly to Alphys.  
  
“Well… Someone’s been busy.” Alphys shivered and he approached her and Asgore with a tight smile. Without a word he placed a hand on both of their shoulders. “Let’s have a chat somewhere a bit more private.” Turning his head to Alphys he revealed his darkened eye sockets. “I know a shortcut…”


	16. Big God

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big God by Florence and the Machine  
> This song made Sans' words so fun to type out.
> 
> Sans has little to no patience for anyone who might trigger a reset. No matter who they are...  
> I can't do anything else but sassy Azzy. He's precious.

She couldn’t stop crying. Frisk continued to cry and cling to her brother as her elder sibling did his best to soothe her. Toriel had said something along the way and Sans interacted with the others but she didn’t care. Asriel was back. He snorted as she tightened his hold on him after he had just gotten her to lighten up and rested his head on top of hers. “You humans... So emotional.” She laughed even in the face of her tears. “There we go, deep breaths… Are you just trying to steal my pie?” Her giggles increased and when she looked up there was a tear stained smile upon her face. Her brother moved to wipe her tears but before he could speak the sounds of the front door slamming open caught their attention.  
  
“FUCKING CHEATING LITTLE RUNT!! WHERE ARE YOU TWO?!”  
“UNDYNE PLEASE! NO FIGHTING IN THE HOUSE!”  
“COME OUT HERE PUNK!!”  
  
They only managed to exchanged two looks before Undyne and Papyrus stormed into the kitchen. Once consisting of ‘What did you do?’ and the other ‘So what had happened was…’ There was hardly a chance to explain when they were face with the two and although they were both known for being loud there was a swift silence that overcame them. Toriel, finally given a chance, stepped in. “Please! No more screaming.”  
“IS THAT…?”  
  
The queen smiled gently and nodded her head while Undyne turned her head to her more terrified than shocked. “But… How…?” It was perhaps then when the realization hit them that the King, the scientist and the judge were nowhere to be seen. Frisk looked at her brother with acute worry but he looked away unable to meet her gaze leaving Toriel to answer to the best of her ability.  
“Alphys—”  
“Where is she? Where is my wife?! Why isn’t she here?!”  
  
“Because they took her to face the music.” Undyne’s heated glare turned towards the prince but when he looked back his expression was just as tense.  
“What did you say…?”  
"Alphys knew what she was doing when she sought to change me back...” He frowned and pulled Frisk closer and the child looked up. "Now she will be judged for it..."

* * *

They appeared in her laboratory and she couldn’t help but to breathe a sigh of relief. For a moment she had expected for them all to be brought to judgement hall. Yet, even though she wasn’t there that didn’t make Sans’ intent any less menacing.“Oh Alphys… I thought after the last time I wouldn’t have to do this again.” The king remained silent and Alphys visibly shrunk. “Honestly, after the past two times I thought you would have gotten it through your thick skull that your job isn’t to manipulate life. You are a scientist, not a god.”  
Alphys swallowed a lump in her throat. “I-I k-know… B-But I-I had t-to do s-something…”  
“Did you though?” He closed his eyes and sighed. “Explain yourself, Royal Scientist.” Alphys flinched at the coldness of his tone but didn’t back down. She went on to speak of her initial run in with Flowey, how she had tried to apologize but realized that he was the only one who didn’t receive his happy ending because of her actions. She explained that after meeting him she put herself head first into her work and finally found a solution. And this is where she broke.  
  
“Well, its quite clear that your solution worked. But from how you shake before me in fear, I get the feeling that you knew the exact path you would have to take.” Alphys looked down and did her best to push down her tears.  
“I-I did… T-The only w-way to help him w-was to g-get him in a e-environment w-where his determination was the m-more dominate source.” This caused Sans to open his eyes and upon doing so his blacked-out sockets appeared to darken further.  
  
“You took him to the underground.” It wasn’t a question.  
“…Y-Yes…”  
“After everything I told you about the resets. After explain not only in laymen’s terms but in scientific terms the damage his powers have done even before Frisk fell you brought him to a place where, at the drop of a hat, he could have reset everything. Where he could have taking all of this away from us.” She paused and her heart dropped. She would be lying if she said she even considered that and Sans was right. She was more than lucky that Flowey had actually trusted her because if he didn’t, if he would have reset, all their work would have been for nothing.  
  
“…Yes…”  
“But that wasn’t all you did was it? No, there are more sins upon you.” The tears fell freely at this point, but she didn’t reject the notion.  
“…His d-determination wasn’t enough to help h-him force his change… Once he was in the underground… I… I…” Say it. “I injected him with more DT.” Sans’ ire was suffocating. “I-It helped him to force his change a-although he did seem to pass once i-in the process.”  
“DT wouldn’t have been enough to help a soulless monster change permanently. Do not beat around the bush, bud. I don’t have the patience to tolerate it.” Alphys wrapped her arms around herself but this time she didn’t answer right away. There was no way to tell him what she had done without burying herself further down. Upon looking at Asgore, the king shook his head knowing that there was no way he could help her now.  
  
“…DT wasn’t enough… Once he switched, I injected one more thing into him to keep him as he was… Blood.” For the first time in a long time, Sans’ smile visibly dropped. “…H-Human blood…” She looked down but by the time she looked back up, his grin was back in place though it was hardly humorous. “Frisk’s blood.”  
  
Having him react would have been better than having nothing happen after the reveal of what she had done. Fear wracked her frame and after a while she couldn’t bare to even look up at the skeleton. “…Heh, this shit right here is why I don’t expect much from promises.” He looked at Asgore and winked though the king found no joke in the situation. “Now you understand.” Slowly but surely, his eye began to glow and Alphys shook so hard that she was sure that she was going to be stuck down.  
  
“It’s time to begin your judgement… Look inside of yourself, Royal Scientist. Have you really done the right thing? Constantly you make mistakes and constantly you find yourself being forgiven over, and over, and over… No matter the timeline, no matter the run. Your mistakes define you. As well as your inability to learn from them. Have you really done the right thing? Think. You didn’t experiment on the Amalgamates because it was necessary. We knew what would happen—but you? You needed to _see_ what would happen. You didn’t have to continue to check in on them when they were finally back with those they loved. You did so to absolve your own emotions.” Alphys pressed her hands against her face as her truth was thrown in her face.  
  
“The prince? Oh, our prince. Our fallen heir killed by the humans who was resting in peace. His end was violent but his death was not. There he found peace. But there was a question that set everything into motion. What happens when you inject a boss monster with DT? None alive would indulge in you. But the dead don’t have choice, do they Alphys?” Her sobs became vocal and as Sans’ spoke Asgore couldn’t help his own disgust at his description though he knew she had eventually fixed her wrongs. “You brought him a new life. An emotionless life. One where those he loved where in reach but always so far away. Your curiosity brought him pain and return he brought us pain as well. Up until the barrier was broken.” The glow of his eye increased.  
  
“Once free we made a promise, us three, a pact. No more experiments upon our kind without a proper reason. No more, DT injections.” Strike one. “No more live subjects.” Strike two. “No more playing around with the unknown.” Strike three. “Have you really done the right thing, Alphys? Or have you only done what is right to absolve you of your guilt?”  
  
She wouldn’t lie to herself… She did do it to get rid of her guilt. She did it so she wouldn’t have the pain of knowing that Flowey existed because of her. She did it so she wouldn’t have to be reminded everyday that she defiled the corpse of her monarchy’s prince. Of their child…  
  
Sans stared at her unwaveringly before closing his eyes. “I get the feeling you aren’t gonna learn anything from this.” He shrugged. “But that’s not my issue. I’ve already tried to steer you in the right direction so many times. So, what can I say now? What can I say that will change the mind of a selfish being such as yourself? Probably nothing, but I can make sure this never happens again.” Asgore looked at Sans, frightful that the skeleton would attack Alphys but what he did instead shocked him more. “My judgement stands, from this point on your position is revoked.” Alphys looked at Sans with eyes wide and horror within them. “No longer are you a scientist of the royal family. Nor are you to do experiments in their name.” The skeleton disappeared and appeared in front of Alphys instantly.  
  
“And if you bring **my kid** into your experiments ever again, you will cross a line that not even she was spared from.” Alphys released a small scream and fell back as a short laughter left Sans’. He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked at Asgore. His eye lights returned however; his movements were still stiff. “Because the monarch,” And Frisk. “benefited from your actions, I will not raise arms against you this time.” He winked at the terrified woman on the floor. “But it would be in your best interest to refrain from giving me a _bone_ to pick with you. Capisci?”  
  
Alphys looked at him with fear and slight awe. He wasn’t going to kill her but her life as the Royal Scientist was over. At some level she wanted to beg him not to take her position away from her. She wanted to beg him to punish her another way. But she knew she was getting off lightly so instead, she lowered her head and nodded unable to get the words out. “Good. Now go wash your face and calm down before we leave. Wouldn’t want you to ruin their parade.” She scrambled immediately to get off of the floor and make her way to the bathroom. The skeleton snorted but looked up as Asgore sighed.  
  
“Problem?”  
“Hardly. I honestly expected you to judge her harder…”  
“I judge accordingly to the crimes committed, Fluffybuns.” His disposition relaxed significantly with the ex-royal scientist out of the room. Asgore gave him a smile that refuted his claims.  
“Is that so…?” Sans eyed the king before he released a soft sound of frustration and sat down.  
“If you have something to say to me, Asgore, say it.”  
“Your possessiveness and protectiveness of Frisk caused me to worry that I would be putting Alphys’ dust into a box. I’m glad that is not the case.” Sans captured the king’s gaze and although his grin didn’t fall, it wasn’t amused. Asgore move to de-escalate the tension that seemed to rise again within Sans but before he could the skeleton spoke.  
  
“A guard dog is not to be confused with an attack dog. A guard dog is used to watch for and protect their owners against unwanted beings, be it monster or humans.” He leaned back in his seat. “Do you know why I don’t mind the kid calling me her ‘dog’, Asgore?” There was no answer. “It’s because, that is the role I have had to place myself in from the moment we arrived upon the surface. I’ve guarded her from the humans, I’ve guarded her from monsters—hell, I’ve guarded her from her own mother. That is what I do. That is how I protect her when no other can. Every threat that comes her way is judged and if I can I will shield her from it whenever possible.” His grin widened. “And if I must act, and we know how long it takes for that reaction to be pulled from me, then that is when dust and blood will fill the air. No moment sooner, nor later. If Alphys was not apart of our little family then I can guarantee you she would have been part of the wind a long time ago.”  
  
It wasn’t the first time that Asgore had heard Frisk or Sans reference himself as such. However, it was the first time in which he truly understood just how seriously he took that role. There was a sense of pride that came over him knowing that Frisk was well protected. Yet on the other side of that coin was an eerie feeling that the skeleton’s allegiance had shifted from the monarchy to just Frisk and whatever it meant to protect her best interest. Whether or not that meant protecting those outside of her and his brother… He had no chance to respond however when Alphys reemerged looking worse for wear.  
  
Sans rose up immediately before placing a hand upon the two and teleporting them back to the monarchy’s house. He stepped out of the way as Undyne locked on to Alphys and focused his attention on the goat monster who currently held his charge.  
  
“Alphys!!” The scientist didn’t hesitate to run into her wife’s arms, forgetting their earlier issues to relish in her comfort. Undyne was quick to realize that although the tears were gone her wife was still very much shaken and the child’s head of security was quick to glare at Sans. “What the fuck did you do?!”  
“Language.”  
“I swear to fucking god if you hurt her—!"  
At this, the skeleton laughed before shaking his head. “Hardly. Her judgement is as follows. No longer is Alphys the Royal Scientist.” The fish woman’s breath hitched and her rage rose.  
  
“You can’t do that!” Alphys grabbed her wife’s arm gently trying her best to get her attention.  
“Undyne, please…”  
“Can and did.”  
“On what fucking grounds?!”  
  
Papyrus stepped forward in an attempt to help calm the situation but Toriel, bless her heart, stopped him. She shook head and the younger brother backed down hesitantly. Sans looked at Asgore and shrugged. “Should I tell her or…?”  
  
“S-Stop! J-Just…” Alphys pulled from Undyne and smiled sadly. “…His judgement is fine, Undyne…”  
“But Al—”  
“I did this to myself. I broke a promise the king and Sans. I knew the consequences.” Undyne looked at Alphys worriedly but her wife just gave a sad smile. “L-Let's go home Undyne…” The woman wanted nothing but to argue but her wife’s tired state helped her to give in. Undyne threw one more seething glare towards Sans before ushering her wife out so they could begin their walk home.  
  
Once they were gone, there was a tension that filled the air and no one talked. However, their eyes turned to Frisk as the little girl wiggled out of Asriel’s hold and was set down on her own two feet. “Sooo… Lunch anyone?”

* * *

Frisk spent the day basking in the love of her family. She never took a step away from her brother and if he was out of her sight for a second, she always made sure to find him. The skelebros remained in the house as well using this time to catch up with everyone and rest from the hectic week they had at the manor. Although he spent most of his time indulging his brother and making puns to frustrate him, he always kept an eye on the prince. Occasionally, they would make eye contact and the skeleton would wink at him just to get a reaction. It stopped being funny the moment the prince would hug Frisk in a ploy to agitate him back.  
  
The little girl didn’t notice of course. She was head over heels for her old brother and no one else had her attention like he did. That also meant, however, that he had yet to have a moment where he could speak to the prince one on one. Normally he would let bygones be bygones, but the past plant’s track record didn’t warrant it. As well… He looked over at the two siblings and watched as Frisk looked at her brother awestruck. He knew what it was like to be a role model to someone who believed in you so dearly. He knew what it was like to look up to someone who you adored dearly… And he also knew what it was like to have someone you idolize destroy that image.  
  
In truth, he couldn’t protect Frisk from emotional pain even when he wanted to. But he could do his best to shield her from the fallout.  
  
Night fell quickly and as the others fell asleep as they watched a movie, the skeleton and the prince remained awake. Frisk sat upon Asriel’s lap with her hands clinging to his turtleneck while her brother held her close, he rested his chin upon her head. Papyrus had fallen asleep as well and although he didn’t sit upon his brother, his head did rest in his lap. Sans kept a hand on his brother’s skull and once he was comfortable that the group was completely unaware, he looked up.  
  
“Was it really necessary to demote Alphys…?” Asriel looked off to the side. “I know what she did wasn’t right in any regard but… She means well.”  
“I’ll tell you the same thing I told Frisk, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Alphys cannot handle dealing with her emotions separately from her work. She shouldn’t have messed with your corpse. We all know that regardless of who she is, she will always be wrong for that.” Asriel frowned but relented none the less.  
  
“But that hardly matters now, huh? You’re alive, properly, now.” The prince locked eyes with him.  
“Aye.”  
“Alive and well with Frisk’s blood in you. So now what?”  
“…What?”  
“Now what? What’s your plan?”  
“I don’t have one.”  
Sans closed his eyes. “Wrong answer.”  
“And just what is the right answer, Sans? Stop being vague and open your mouth.”  
  
Sans looked down at Papyrus. “That kid has wanted nothing more than for you to return to live with us in this ‘happily ever after’. Even though she had never properly lived with you or that demon, she constantly refers to you two as her siblings.” Lazily, he gestured to the sleeping child. “And now you’re here. Her big brother is back home. She can separate the two beings of Flowey and Asriel; she's a being of mercy.” He narrowed his eyes. “But I cannot.” Sans shrugged. “I am biased beyond repair. And that’s fine. I’m not trying to be your bff. That doesn’t mean I am not watching you.”  
  
Asriel held his gaze but the seriousness melted off his face as he smiled. “I can count the amount of times I killed Frisk with one hand. She can count the amount of times she has killed me with two.” He continued to gaze at Sans with half lidded eyes. “But you have murdered my sister so many times that you would need a human army to count all the times.” Sans’ gritted his teeth. “You are allowed to judge my soul; it matters not to me. But do not step to me about hurting my sister.” He looked down at his sibling and pulled her closer. “You know, the funny thing is despite my heartlessness then there were times where I genuinely helped Frisk. Multiple timelines where I tried to better myself because I wanted my sibling to succeed.”  
  
He narrowed his eyes. “You sat by when Papyrus was rendered to dust though you could have easily murdered Chara right before she even got close to him.” His eyes lights were gone now but Asriel continued. “I will fuck up. There will be times where I let her down. We’ll argue, we’ll hate each other for a week. We’ll get mad when others treat us badly and try to defend each other at all cost. That’s how that works—that’s how this works. We are siblings. Blood or not. She isn’t the first sister I’ve had but she is the last. I learned from my mistakes and I will make sure those and my future ones do not hurt Frisk.”  
The two held each other’s gaze for the longest time until Sans finally relented and scoffed. “Well then… Welcome back flower prince.”  
“Thanks, ya smiling trash bag. Now what the hell have I missed and why is my sister walking around looking like an undertaker?” Unable to help it, the skeleton gave a curt laugh. You know what they say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend’s enemy. And if it was anything to take from how Asriel wished to look over his sister, Majerus had a new enemy.  
  
“Well, your sister tried to kill herself.”  
“…”  
“…”  
“…Underground spare everyone kill herself or jump off a cliff kill herself?”  
  
  
This was going to be a long conversation.

* * *

“YOU JUMPED OFF OF EBOTT!”  
  
“I know that! That was a long time ago—”  
  
“YOU **JUMPED OFF EBOTT!!”**  
  
  
Sans laughed behind his hand and Frisk threw him a dark glare. Stupid freaking skeleton. Didn’t they hate each other? Oh god she hoped Azzy and Sans weren’t getting along she didn’t need that…  
“Azzy~ That was so long ago!”  
“Indeed Asriel,” Toriel smiled gently at her son catching his attention. “it is all water under the bridge now.” Her son stared at her before taking a deep breath and folding his hands together in front of his face.  
“Mom…? May I ask you a question of extreme importance...?”  
“Yes dear?”

“YOU YELLED AT YOUR DAUGHTER WHO WAS _**SUICIDAL,**_ HOW IS THAT OKAY?!!”

* * *

She remained silent the entire walk home. Undyne continued to look on at her with concern and the moment they entered their home, Alphys plopped down on the couch and looked down at the floor. "...You know... I wanna cry because I lost my job..." Undyne's heart broke as her wife looked up with a teary smile. "But he wasn't wrong... When I found Flowey, the prince... All that came through my mind was how can I correct my wrong? I was more worried about how I could ease my guilt that I didn't even think to speak to everyone about it. In hindsight I can't help but to think what would have happened if he really didn't wake up that moment his heart stopped..." She reached up and wiped her eyes.  
  
"I don't have a right to cry. Not when I hurt so many. To be honest, Asriel is lucky. The other Amalgamates will never return to how they once were before I made them into the monstrosities they are now." Alphys turned her eyes back to the floor and sniffed. "...I injected him with more DT... I took him to the underground and injected him because I knew that's how he was going to retain his form. Or at least reform the form we know... But that wasn't enough. I wanted to make sure that he would never change back into that emotionless flower again..." She turned her palms upwards and gave a broken laughter. "And that's when I decided the best way was to use Frisk's blood."  
  
The ex-royal scientist could practically hear her wife freeze as she told her what she had done and her laughter grew. "And I knew it was wrong! I knew, Undyne but I did it anyway. I told myself that I was doing it because of Flowey. I told myself that I was doing it because Asriel deserved a proper life... But that's not why I did any of that at all, Undyne... I did it because I was tired of feeling my sins. I did it because I wanted to be able to sleep at night without remember that while I slept in my bed out prince was out there in forced to take the form of a plant because I had to see. Because I had to just see what would happen if I messed with his body."  
  
"Al..."  
  
Her laughter died down and her face fell into her hands. "I don't deserve to be the Royal Scientist... Not because I don't have the skills. Not because I don't have the confidence..." Undyne moved next to her and sat down on the couch. "I don't deserve it because I don't work to help others..." Her wife pulled her into her arms and held her to her chest and at that moment, Alphys broke down into heavy sobs as she finally was allowed to let everything out.   
  
She didn't deserve the position because she knew in her heart she would never change. In her heart she knew that, that was why she couldn't speak back when Sans judged her soul. She always had to push the limits, she always had to just... See. Curiosity killed the cat and if Alphys had her way she would just bring it back.

  
  
And back...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And back...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And _back_...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> STOP FUCKING WITH DT DAMN. (this b)
> 
> NEXT TIME ON THE CHILD AND THE BONE:  
> Majerus is up to no good,  
> Annaliese has a heart to heart with her baby girl's dog,  
> ✋ 💧☟✌☹☹ ❄✌☹😐 ❄⚐ ☞☼✋💧😐,  
> And we tie up the last stray ends before its party time. 
> 
> Make no mistake by the end of this fic Asriel and Sans with be apart of the Big Brother's United Club. Kicking the asses of those who hurt our siblings and little ones since the dawn of time~
> 
> Okay now you can say two more chapters. (fight me)


	17. Beyond the Veil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?"
> 
> ...Okay rude. And hi.  
> I had a interview for a new job that was so damn important I forgot about the internet.  
> And I worked to get a new tablet for drawing cause I have comics I want to make.  
> Adulting. Whoo. But I'm backkkkk~ ...With Sans and his daddy issuessssss~  
> The song of the day Beyond the Veil by Lindsey Sterling
> 
> NOTES:  
> The LHC is a real thing and where I live (NYC) everyone was talking about how we're all gonna die when it was announced to be a thing. I was more amused by that than I should have been. I took liberties with its science (no shit).
> 
> OKAY REAL QUICK IF YOU HAVEN'T SEE THIS UNDERTALE COMIC WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU CHECK IT OUT NOW! I DEMAND IT. The way the artist draws Sans--my heart~ <https://tapas.io/series/Fallen-Flowers-An-Undertale-Comic>

_“It can interact with our electronics!”_

_“Amazing…”_

_“Hardly so when the language it speaks is incomprehensible.”_

_“Are…those hands?”_

_At first, he didn’t bother to open his eyes taking more interest in the back of his eyelids. He’d rather pretend that this scene wasn’t being played out. After all, he went to sleep more than tired and he didn’t want to wake up even more tired than before. But when he heard one voice spoke of hands he sighed and opened his eyes. Before him rested five men and one woman. He was rather surprised when the faces of each person were clear but he was even more surprise when he noticed the woman’s face. If it wasn’t for the jet-black hair, the woman would have been a dead ringer for a older version for Frisk. Her ruby irises called for attention and her determination was apparent._

_He remembered Frisk’s words the last time she had a dream. These weren’t all just memories. At some point the woman had interacted with her daughter. And now it seemed as it was his turn._ _  
“But I do not understand. It isn’t reaching out to anyone else but the project lead. Why her?”  
The woman looked up and frowned deeply. “Trust me, there is no one who wants to know more than myself. I don’t enjoy the frequent interruptions to my devices.” She sighed and leaned back in her chair only to have Majerus step forward._

_“Madam this is incredible! It’s actually pushing to establish further contact. We cannot allow this opportunity to pass us by.” A sharp look from her as she narrowed her eyes rendered the men silent and she crossed her legs._

_“Have you managed to find out anything about the space this being occupies?”_

_“Only that it is not a physical realm, Madam.”_

_“What...?”_

_“It appears that the ‘realm’ if you will is equivalent to the space in between time.”_

_“You speak nonsense.”_

_“Not at all, Madam. From what we have been able to pick up the entire space this being rests in is made up of nothing but dark matter. It is as if this being rest in between a period of in between a black hole. However, at the same time.”_

_Her face quickly fell to one of displeasure and he couldn’t help but to widen his grin. He saw where Frisk got it from. “So, your telling me this...thing is essentially Schrödinger's cat.”_

_“In a way yes. There is no feasible way this being is alive and yet we cannot ignore the fact that it is indeed conscious.”_

_“A being that is able is everywhere yet nowhere... that’s not terrifying in the least.”_

_Majerus perked up. “If this hypothesis stands... then is it safe to assume that in that case this being is able to watch us?” The group fell deathly silent but jumped the moment the printer started up._

_“Did you—?!”_

_“How could we? We are here with you!”_

_The woman ignored her colleagues and rose up to collect the paper. “It’s just a note form the director. Gabriel please move to submit your report. He is missing it. As for the rest of you, let us focus on pin pointing this area. If we can locate it properly then perhaps, we can access it.” The men nodded, hesitantly, and spoke amongst themselves as they began to leave the room. It wasn’t until they were gone that she turned her eyes back to the paper._

_Is it safe to assume that in this case the being is watching them? To that question rested one answer upon the paper in clear English._

_Y e s ._

_She narrowed her eyes and looked up as the printer went off again. This time she was hesitant to retrieve it but after taking a moment to school her nerves she picked it up._

_L i a r ._

_“Perhaps.” She muttered silently, feeling insane for entertaining this nonsense. “But it’s better than instilling fear to to men with power is it not...?” There was silence for the longest moment and for a time she was sure one of the men were messing with her until the dreaded sounds of the printer went off once more. This time, she turned away from it stubbornly. She did her best to tell herself that it was all nonsense. And yet... slowly but surely, the woman turned back to the printer and moved to retrieve the paper._

_C l e v e r ._

_As quickly as the paper was printed, she reacted and ripped up the sheets until there was nothing left but shredded paper and silent nerves. When she put the paper in the trash, she turned on her heels and walked towards the door. “Ridiculous.”_

_The woman was quick to close the door behind her and this was unaware of the next message to be printed out._

_A n n a l i e s e ._

_And then... darkness._

_  
Sans waited for something else but when he felt a presence behind him, he went ridged. He never thought he would speak hands again but he was prepared more than he was before. “..._ _☞⚐_ _☼_ _💧_ _⚐_ _💣_ _☜⚐☠☜_ _☞⚐_ _☼_ _☝_ _⚐❄❄☜☠_ _,_ _✡_ _⚐🕆_ _💧_ _🕆_ _☼_ _☜_ _👎_ _⚐_ _☹✋😐_ _☜_ _❄_ _⚐_ _💣✌😐_ _☜_ _✌_ _👍_ _⚐☠_ _💧❄✌☠❄_ _✌_ _🏱🏱☜✌_ _☼_ _✌☠👍_ _☜_ _.”_

_“I am hardly forgotten and if you do not mind, I would prefer to keep this conversation to English.” The woman’s voice caused him to jump and he turned on his heel only to be faced with the sight of the scientist he had just watched in the memory. ...Frisk really did look just like her mother. He was unsure if he should be relaxed or on edge around her. Unlike her daughter, the woman’s determination never seemed to waiver and her eyes bore into him as if to see right through him. Sans couldn’t help the sweat that ran down his skull._

_“Heh, my bad... didn’t really expect anyone to be here but—“_ _  
“But Gaster. Yes, I realize that. Now focus, this next part is important.” He barely got a chance to question her before he found himself in a new scene._

 _“We have to try!”_ _  
“It is far too dangerous!”  
“But if we lose the connection all this work would be for nothing!”  
“It isn’t for nothing if we come out alive!”_

_“ENOUGH!”_

_The men jumped at the sound of the woman’s voice. She glared at them darkly and rose up. “We cannot lose this chance. This entity has been reaching out. We need to confirm if we made a break through or just contacted something dangerous.” They group looked at each with deep worry.  
“Madam, please… The fact that we have obtained and successfully got the Large Hardon Collider to produce a black hole in the containment without destroying everything! Allow the machine to completely shut down before—”  
  
“There is a limited amount of energy this entity can exert without the LHC. Where ever it is, these black holes are the key to getting to know more and possibly pulling it over. We need to make sure at all cost that we do not lose the connect.” Majerus sat up straight.  
“Madam is right. We need to make sure that we do not lose this chance.”  
  
The woman threw a serious side eye at Majerus and Sans couldn’t help but to chuckle. She didn’t trust him any further than she could throw him and that was clear at least to him. But he remained quiet. The woman sighed and moved to remove her jacket. “Just make sure that everything is alright on the monitors. The speakers are still working, if you call out a warning I can get out in time.” …What?  
  
The men made no further attempt to dissuade her and the skeleton found himself making a face of exasperation. Just like her daughter it seemed the men knew there was no talking her out of something once her mind was set. And yet this is one of the moments where he would dig his heels in. An LHC was capable of creating microscopic black holes. On its first day of commission, however, it could not. The physicists in charge at the time did not steer beams of protons into each other in order to create high energy collisions. He had read that humans were up in arms believing that the LHC would be the end of the world but it was not. The collider had not produced any collisions. Not to mention, any micro black hole created by the LHC would quickly evaporate losing energy via Hawking radiation.  
  
In other words: It was useless until actually pushed to produce collisions great enough to cause a hole but even then, they would be small… Or so he believed. Somehow, someway, these foolish humans seemed to have found a way to push the LHC into creating a moderate sized black hole.  
  
And this stupid woman was going to step inside of the machine while it was still in the process of turning off in order to tamper with the components. He gritted his teeth as the woman bypassed her colleagues before stepping into the chamber and looking around. She was quick to spot the issue she was looking for and stepped inside. This was familiar. This was all too damn familiar.. Sans clutched his fist but forced himself to watch as the woman reached up to fiddle with a piece...  
  
  
He wasn’t surprised when she gasped.  
  
He wasn’t surprised when her colleagues jumped on the speakers.  
  
He wasn’t surprised when they screamed at her to get out of there.  
  
He wasn’t surprise when fear over took her and she froze.  
  
He wasn’t surprised when the LHC began to boot up nor was he surprised when she became a victim to being inside.  
  
  
  
And then **darkness**.  
  
  
  
He hadn’t realized that he had turned his head away until the change in scenery. At first, he didn’t want to even turn back but once again he forced himself to and witnessed the floating body of the woman surrounded by darkness. But she wasn’t alone, not at all, and this time he knew exactly who was present.  
  
“…Foolish…”  
  
Where there was once empty space around the woman became full as a form came to rest besides her looking down at her with pure sympathy. Or was it pity? Even now, he could never tell the difference when it came to his father.  
“Heed my warnings you did not. Now you are stuck in between just as I am.” He reached out slowly to touch her but just as he did her eyes snapped open. The human jumped back, horrified at the sight of the being before her only to look around in fear.  
  
“Where am I?! Where the fuck am I?!”  
“Human—”  
“Who are you!? Where am I?! Where is the lab!?”  
“Calm—”  
“Get away from me! I—”_  
**“ _Annaliese._** **_”_** _  
  
The woman jumped at the sound of her name and held her hands to her chest. In her fear she found herself too afraid to speak on. That was fine, he spoke instead. “Foolish, clever, child. Fearless but not indestructible you fell to the same fate as I. A different machine but the same result.” She blinked and it was as if her mind caught up to her.  
“…Its you… The anomaly…”  
“Indeed. It is rather rude to speak of a person when they are listening, human. But if you must address them, address them properly. I am not an anomaly. I am W. D. Gaster.” His words did very little to bring her comfort.  
  
“W-Where am I?”  
“Where. When. It is all relative here. But I have always called this domain the Void. The place in between time and space where nothing exists.” The cogs in her head began to go at full force and she quickly found her fear turn into slight rage.  
“No… No. Let me out!”  
“I am not keeping you here. You are here upon your own merit as I am on my own.”  
“I don’t belong here!!” Gaster laughed gently however it was filled with its own brand of sorrow.  
“No one ‘belongs’ here, child. But tis my fate and now yours.”  
  
He paused as the woman so strong and determined began to break down at the thought that she was displaced from his world. He sympathized, truly, but there was little one could say to ever make this situation better… After what seemed like a lifetime, he still had yet to find the words to bring his own soul to peace with his own demise.  
  
“No…” He looked up. “No. No. I cannot stay here. I will not stay here. I’m going home. I’m going back to my lab. I am going back to my child. I am going back to my world!” Gaster frowned deeply. Truly, humans were slaves to their emotions, though he could hardly speak when he thought about the fit he threw when he originally arrived.  
“Annalise…” Ruby eyes stared up at him and the woman scowled.  
  
“NO!” Before her, slowly but surely, a red glow grew from her chest and as her determination begin to rise. “I will not stay here…” She thought about her daughter. “I will not abandon my family.” She thought about her colleagues. “I will not remain here, forgotten!” Gaster took a step back and raised his arms, looking on in shock as the red glow her soul began to give off grew in ferocity. “I’m going home.” Her soul reached a point where it would glow no more. “I’m going home now!”  
  
Under her feet the darkness cracked. First it was small hairline fractures but almost instantly the area beneath her shattered. The woman gasped as she fell through and Gaster stepped forward in a attempted to grab her. But there was no use. She could make no sense of her surroundings or what was happening around her but she was quite aware of the blood rushing to her head and the sudden loss of consciousness due to it… The area that shattered closed as quickly as it opened leaving the forgotten man alone once more and with a confusion, he was sure if he could ever solve.  
  
  
  
...She heard her name.  
  
First softly.  
  
Then loudly.  
  
She heard the sounds of men panicking around her screaming orders and speaking in fear of a presence unknown.  
  
Someone took her hand and held it tightly and although she couldn’t will her body to move there was a happiness that spread through her.  
  
She was home.  
  
  
  
“…Moron.” Sans gritted his teeth and looked over his shoulder at the woman who sat on the desk behind him no longer paying attention to the scene. “Careless doesn’t even begin to cut it. Jeez, you really are her mother.”  
  
“Haha. You are a real comedian.”  
“They don’t call me Comic for nothing.”  
“True, you are kind of a joke.”  
“Right to the heart.” She stopped responding and simply stared at him. At first, he merely waited but as it continued, he found himself shifting under her gaze. He moved to speak but she did so first.  
“You saw what happened. You saw how my daughter ended up in your world.” It wasn’t a question. He nodded. “It is…hard to communicate in words what lead to everything. It is easier to see then tell.”  
  
“That’s why you lot have been playing mind games?”  
“If warning you about a threat bigger than the demon child who slaughtered the entire underground is a mind game, then yes. Yes, it is, the reason why.” He winced at her no-nonsense tone but didn’t back down.  
  
“If showing is better than telling then I find myself curious as to why we are speaking now.”_

_“He trusts you.”  
  
Sans stopped breathing. “He trusts you to look after my little one. He tells me over and over again that you will not fail her. That you will be there and protect her when no one else can. But we all saw how you allowed her to fall over and over and over again in the underground doing the bare minimum that your promise contained." Her anger was apparent but she did her best to tone it down. She didn't trust the skeleton her daughter adored. Though her child saw him as her greatest ally she wasn't so sure. "Why should I believe you will protect her now?”  
  
He looked to the side for the longest time. What could he say to a woman whose child he had failed purposely? Looking up, he shoved his hands in his pockets. "…Because I care now.” The woman raised an eyebrow. “Because she is my family now.” Sans turned to her with a seriousness that caused her to pause. “Because I realized my own sins. I’ll protect her because she needs me.” His eternal grin fell just a bit. “And I need her all the same.”  
  
Annaliese stared at him before closing her eyes. "I didn't die to see my child live to fight only to die to the negligence around her. The being that calls herself her 'mother' is incapable of protecting even her own child nevertheless her people. The being that calls himself her 'father' is aware and functioning. The closest out of those two I can rely on but he doesn't hold a candle to you interms of the knowledge needed to truly support my little one." The woman held out her hand and immediately before her appear one word that cause Sans to stop breathing.  
  
*R e s e t ?  
  
"Its hereditary. That demon only was able to get her hands on the ability due to my daughters own powers. And the flower? A freak who won the genetic lottery when your new royal scientist injected him with enough DT to kill a army of men." With a flick of her wrist she willed the option away before looking at Sans'. He relaxed immediately when it was gone but he didn't feel as relaxed as he once had. "Never have I ever used my power beyond loading. But in the void, loading is a finicky thing, here loading is hit or miss." Annaliese crossed her legs and narrowed her eyes. "With that said, if you fail under any circumstances to protect my daughter, I will make your nightmare a reality--"  
  
"Failing her again is the only nightmare I need." Annaliese paused. "I failed her by not helping her through the underground. I failed her by not realizing that the resets cost her just as much pain as they did myself. I failed her for not realizing it until it was almost too late and I failed her by letting the others kick her when she was already down. I made my mistakes but I made my peace with them as well. I don't need your threats, nothing will take Frisk away from us." His eye began to glow. "Especially not that worthless shit of life that makes up Majerus."  
  
There was a silence that fell between the two but his head snapped up when she began to speak again. “You’re fairly dramatic. Is every skeleton in your family like that?” Sans blinked but quickly scoffed. He relaxed and his eyes returned to normal.  
“We get it from our dad’s side.”  
“Don’t remind me.” He gave a snort laugh and for the first time Annaliese smiled back.  
  
“Take care of my little girl, Sans.” The scene started to fade along with the woman and he closed his eyes.  
  
“I promise.”_

* * *

He opened his eyes with a gentle sigh upon realizing that he was out of his mind once more. The ruffling of someone next to him caused him to look down and he couldn’t help but to snort at the sight. Frisk laid out amongst the couch with her head resting in his lap. They had been working hard into the night to finish off homework and other work that the child would miss in her absence. Although she wasn’t going anywhere truthfully but with all the preparations for the party going on, she wasn’t going to have a chance to even attempt to attend her classes. The little girl grumbled in her sleep and shivered as her hands tightened their grip on his shorts. A pun found its way to the tip of his tongue but he let it slide while he moved to remove his hoodie. He placed it over her and placed a hand upon her head.  
  
“Sleep tight kid…”  
  
The grip on him loosened and she released a sigh of content. He was hardly surprised that the hoodie brought her security but he chuckled nonetheless. Sans’ smile softened and he put his head back before closing his own eyes. It was rare to get a moment of silence with everything going on and he was determined to enjoy it. Asriel didn't spend time in the manor as he did. If anything, the prince was playing a game of catch up when it came to learning about the human world. He had expected it but the relief that went through him when his thoughts were confirmed wasn't unnoticed.   
  
Among themselves when the group had joked that now that Asriel was present, the prince would give Sans a run for his money when it came to looking after Frisk. In all honesty, it was slightly welcomed. Keeping a eye on the kid wasn't the easiest and if goat boy wanted to take a crack at it he was more than welcomed. Sans had smirked at the thought at the time. Asriel wouldn't last six minutes with Frisk's daily routine. The prince was still giving the group hell, much to his amusement, for berating Frisk for her attempted suicide-- if he couldn't believe that he sure as hell wouldn't be able to deal with what she had to go through daily with the humans.   
  
Sleep wasn't coming easily to him but his thoughts were. Specifically, thoughts of Undyne and Alphys. Alphys remained out of sight for days. He was hardly surprised, after all, he wouldn't dare show his face if he was demoted from a royal position in the king's presence. Regardless of his kindness, regardless of how he viewed them all as family, Asgore was their king first and foremost and she had let him down more than once. She was lucky to get out of the ordeal with a simple loss of her position.   
  
Frisk argued with him more than once in moments where they found themselves alone over the week but he would hear none of it. She wanted nothing more than to go to Alphys and attempt to cheer her up, perhaps even help her find a new role but every time she tried to leave to see her, he would stop her. She had good intentions; he knew it. Yet Frisk simply didn't understand that this time she couldn't come to the rescue. This time she couldn't bring everyone together and will the consequences away. This time they were going to stick. No one knew that better perhaps, than Alphys and Undyne.  
  
The mere thought of the fish woman caused him to sigh. Ever since his judgement she had been nothing but hostile towards everyone for the most part. It took a stern word from the queen and king to get her to cool it in the house but it returned when they went back to the manor. At first she didn't even follow them back but midway through the week she showed up seemingly unwillingly. Frisk did her best to be patient with the woman but when her attitude began to affect her job Frisk called her in. The memory of the situation still caused him unease.

* * *

_"What do you want?"_  
  
_Frisk sat behind her desk with Papyrus standing at her left side and Sans sitting upon the desk's right-side edge. She looked up for a forlorn look but steeled her expression when the head of security stepped in. "Have a seat, Undyne."_  
_"I prefer to stand." Frisk took a deep breath and closed her eyes but when she opened them, there was a spark that visibly filled them._  
  
_"You don't want to be here. I get it. You made it very clear." Frisk pushed forward two papers and leaned back in her chair. "If this is what you truly wish, I will let you leave without a fight. I have a replacement lined up so you don't have to worry about finding someone to take your place." All three were adamantly aware of the growing ire that rose within Undyne but they didn't move. "I'm sad it had to come to this, but I don't want you to be miserable. If you want, you can leave by noon." Undyne bared her fangs and glared at Frisk wholeheartedly._  
  
_"...So this is what we're doing now, punk? Replacing and removing everything and one who doesn't line up with your fucking narrative...?" Frisk didn't say anything. She merely stared at Undyne and that upset the woman more than anything else. "You get a little bit of power and you think you can steamroll over people's jobs?!" Again, Frisk stared on but this time she spoke._  
  
_"No. I know my place and my limitations. I'm not Alphys."_  
  
_The spear made its way straight for her but she was gone before it even hit its mark. Undyne wasn't surprised by that in the least. Leave it to the fucking bastard to move the kid. No, if anything, the orange glow that surrounded her soul was the biggest shock of them all. Her eyes grew wide as Papyrus stood before her with his eye glowing and a solemn look upon his face._  
  
_"You've lost the plot Undyne." The woman turned her head to see the child and her damn dog standing behind her. "You are so quick to be angry for someone when there is no reason to be angry at all."_  
_"No reason...? He took away her position! He took away her purpose! I was the one there comforting my sobbing wife! Not you! Not Asgore! Not him! And for what? Just because she messed with a fucking flower!?" As the woman ranted, she missed the streak of anger that came across the child's face. "Who cares?! Who cares that she broke a few fucking rules?! Without her he would be dea-"_  
  
_The woman fell short when her shirt was grabbed and she felt herself be brought down. She fell silent when a slap rang out. The three monsters looked at the human in shock but before Undyne could recover Frisk spoke._  
  
_"Rules. Rules are there for a reason. Order is there for a reason. Humans do not follow rules and order. It is this reason why monsters failed to surpass them previously. But monsters have learned. Monsters have adapted to the game and that is why rules and order are so important. This is why no matter who a person is, no matter why they do or do not do something, no one is exempt from the law." There was a feeling of familiarity that passed through Undyne but as the woman tried to push it down Frisk continued. "You told me that. In another life, in another time, you explained to me why even I am not exempt from the consequences of my actions." Undyne froze. "You are mad because your wife is hurting. I get it but don't you ever forget who she hurt. Don't you ever forget that she put herself above the laws you covet so dearly."_  
  
_Frisk paused and sighed while rubbing the hand she used to hit the woman. "She never wanted that position, Undyne. Too much pressure. Too much stress. Alphys deserves to live without the past haunting her."_  
_"...She didn't mean harm." The child smiled at the woman she saw as her aunt softly and took her hand in hers._  
_"But harm was done. Her past is set but she has a future now where she doesn't have to worry any more, Undyne. So, let her cry. Let her mourn her stupid decisions. When her tears are gone, she will realize the weight that's gone."_  
  
_Undyne turned her head away and Frisk squeezed her hand as Papyrus released his friend's soul. "You don't have to leave for good. If you feel you need to be with Alphys now I won't stop you. But you can't hold her hand forever, Undyne. Sometimes to help your loved ones grow you need to let them sink or swim. Alphys was drowning before, but now she learning how to kick. She'll be alright."_  
  
_There was a tense silence, but it didn't last as Undyne pulled away from Frisk and turned to walk away. "Undyne...?"_  
_"Just..." She gripped her fist and bit down on her lip. "Give me time..."  
_

* * *

She was gone for two days and when she returned, she was in better spirits. It wasn't quite business as usually. She was still short with him but as long as she didn't take it out on the other's he hardly cared. The skeleton opened his eyes and looked at the clock. One am. It would do not good to encourage the kid's habit of sleeping in wherever her head rested. Sitting up, he stretched and looked down at the child before moving to gather her in his arms. She didn't stir when he moved to pick her up but the moment, he disturbed his hoodie upon her, she grumbled. He couldn't help the laugh that left him or the look of fondness that came over him.  
  
“…I never thought I would see the day where you showed anything by apathy to anyone besides myself and your brother.”

He looked up instantly his hold on Frisk tightened. “It seems that the child has that effect on everyone, including myself. I shouldn’t be surprised. After all…” Sans gritted his teeth as his eyes looked over at the intruder who sat upon the desk looking at him lazily. “She is her mother’s daughter.”  
  
The last time he saw his father properly was the day of the accident. He wasn’t sure why he expected him to look any different but he had always believed that if he was going to see him again, he wouldn’t be the same. How wrong he was… With the exceptions of the cracks to his face, his father was just as he remembered him. From his one pin light in his socket to the holes in his hand… his father hadn’t changed one bit.  
  
And that put him more on edge than if he had changed appearances completely.  
  
“You can’t leave the void…”  
“And I haven’t… Annaliese’s help has allowed me to communicate in more than one way. This way is …taxing but a necessity. I doubt you would have truly allowed me to speak without interruption if I came to you as I had in the past. Besides…” His smile grew as he looked at the sleeping human. “You will not start a fight with her so close.”  
His grin began to morph into sneer and his eye began to glow but despite his visible display of agitation, Sans’ kept his tone.  
  
“Heh… You never knew when you overstayed your welcome. Somethings never change.”  
“I suppose so. However, you have still yet to learn how to keep that scathing undertone from your voice regardless of how monotoned you attempt to sound. Like father, like son.”  
“Hey, when you raise yourself and your brother for the most part a few behavioral tendencies tend to pass through.” Sans didn’t miss how Gaster’s expression fell slightly but he did not comment on it.  
  
“Indeed. It takes a village to raise a child and Snowdin was yours and Papyrus’. And yet, for the little one you guard so possessively, no village can save her from monsters unseen.”  
  
Their movements weren’t trackable but even if they were the result would have been the same. The two skeletons went from resting where they were to standing in the middle of the room with sharpened femurs pointed at each other’s vertebrae. Sans’ eye glowed with fury while his father’s two eyes, one blue and the other orange, glowed with the patience only a father could possess. But he didn’t back down from the threat his son posed.  
  
“I don’t care you are in the void or the underground, you threaten my kid again _pops_ and you won’t have to worry about trying to return.”  
“Hard headed. Blind. If I wanted to harm the child why would I be working with her mother to protect her from the past?”  
“To be honest, I am not inclined to put much faith into her mother’s thought process. You know, considering she stepped inside an active LHC.” He gave a mirthless chuckle. “Huh… Stepping slash falling into her own machine… Sounds familiar…” The smile completely dropped from Gaster’s face and Sans’ own smirk grew. “Oh yea.”  
  
“Place your snark elsewhere, boy. This is neither the time nor place.”  
“Considering your apart of the void you are everywhere and nowhere so… You’re right.” Sans closed his eyes ignoring the slight growl that fell from his father. “But let’s say I indulge in you. You have still failed to answer one thing.”  
“Which is…?”  
  
Sans cracked open one eye and stared at his father darkly. “You never, ever, do anything without a benefit to you. You never move without a purpose. Even when it came to your children, every action was for a specific reason. So why should I trust you when I know everything you indulge in is just a means to an end?” The two rested in a terse silence while his words floated around them. He expected scathing words, an insult that would sting for days—the same reaction his father would permit long ago. What he was given instead was the opposite. For the first time in his life, Sans could see the tiredness and the weight of the world upon his father’s face and when the elder monster sighed, he almost regretted the venom in his voice previously. Gaster’s hold on his femur grew slack.  
  
“…There is madness in loneliness.” Static over cane his voice just slightly, a side effect of his emotions coming forth but he didn’t back down. “Madness in watching the world move around you without being able to interact with it. Time did not pass as easily as it should have for you no, but despite the resets time marched on for me.” Gaster held his free hand to his chest and looked down. “I spent _years_ in the darkness, in my mind, going over everything all the time. Every regret, every mistake is magnified times a thousand when there is no one there but yourself to reflect upon them minute after minute.”

The monster looked up slightly and the smile that overcame him was manic. He may have retained some bit of sanity but the effect of the void upon him was present. “You lost a brother. I lost my sons. I watched as my children were murdered. I watched as my child surrendered to hopelessness. And no matter how I screamed, no matter how much I bargained, no matter how I tried to cut through the void all I could do was watch. Watch and mourn the dust of my children.” Sans watched in horror as the static grew within his voice and his expression began to twist.  
  
“Over countless lines. Over countless alternative universes I was forced to watch my children suffer. I was forced to watch my boy who was beaten down and annihilated time after time again. Benefit? To me? Foolish, blind, boy. To what benefit do I gain from fruitlessly trying to help you against the demon who sliced you over and over again? What benefit came upon me when I tried vainly to collect the dust of my children?”  
  
The ends of the monster’s trench coat began to morph and turn only to begin to take the shape of tendrils. They moved around sporadically and although Sans took a new interest within them, Gaster failed to notice. “I clawed through the darkness to find some form of solace.” The hands began appear and they moved around them. Some even grabbed at the younger skeleton, forcing him to look at his father while the scientist continued to lose himself to his mania. “Someone. Something... **A n y t h i n g**.” He banished his weapon and placed a hand to his face as a soft laughter left him. “All that I was met with was a world that forgotten me. All that greeted me was the void until she found me.” A sludge like fluid ran down his face from his eyes and he repeated himself.  
  
“She found me. She saw me... She saw me. _She saw me._ **_She. Saw. Me_**.” The tendrils began to thrash about but just as the extra hands moved to snatch his son yet again, Sans spoke out weakly.  
“Gaster—!” The scientist flinched as if he had been struck out of a trance and he quickly realized he had lost himself to yet another episode. He hunched over slightly and the hands disappeared. The tendrils, despite falling significantly dormant however they didn't disappear completely. Gaster did his best to regain his calm before speaking.  
  
“When nobody came…”

She saw him.

“When the will to live became anguish…”

She saw him.  
  
“When my own child willed my existence away.”  
  
She saw him.

“She saw me. She acknowledged me and she refused to forget me. And in return of never forgetting I promised to return the favor. In return for never being forgotten, I promised to help her. That is what I gain. The being you knew would have strived for more but to me in this present—that is the world.” Gaster reached up and wiped the sludge from his face.

Sans didn’t remember banishing his weapon. He didn’t remember when his scowl fell but what he did take note of was the feeling of sorrow at the sight of his once proud creator breaking. He hesitated to move as he watched his father struggle to gain control over his emotions and spoke up. “I didn’t forget you...” Gaster blinked before smiling sadly. Despite his words they both knew that the skeleton sounded like a child trying to lie to himself and his father.

“You tried too.”

He flinched visibly but shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down in utter shame. What could he say to the truth...? Gaster didn’t push it further and sighed as he finished wiping his face. “I did not come to upset you, Sans. I didn’t come here to fight. I came to speak... We will not be able to restore all of Frisk’s memories by the time the party begins nor show her everything you two need to be aware off before the party begins. Her mother will work on preparing the child to the best of her abilities but you must understand more of what this human intends to do.”

“Majerus?”  
“Indeed.”  
“Hate to get ahead of you, pops, but he came clean to Frisk about that a few days ago.” Gaster snorted and rolled his eye light.  
“And you believed that was the only intent? I raised you better than to believe surface information, boy.”   
“Then enlighten me.”

The elder monster turned his back to Sans and made his way back to the desk. He took his seat again and when he turned back Sans had assumed his seat on the couch with Frisk settled against him once more. “It is true that apart of his goal is to bring back the power that humans once held. But he has always pushed that boundary. Annaliese sought that same goal long ago but she quickly realized that it was more than the simple loss of powers. Humans didn’t lose a gift; they lost a part of their being. They evolved without monsters present and in doing so had no further need for magic.” Three extra hands appeared in front of him as he folded his arms over his chest. 

“When an animal loses a trait, it is because there is no longer a use for it. Humans are no different. There are humans who have retained this trait yes but for most it has been through grueling training and years of practice. There are very few of any who have retained this trait by pure natural talent.” As the scientist spoke, the extra hands moved, making various gestures as he spoke. The sight was a familiar one to Sans and one he never thought he would see again. He remembered teasing his father throughout countless nights for his unconscious habit but now he feared bringing it up if it meant Gaster would catch himself. After the display of madness, it settled his own heart to see a glimpse of the man he once knew.

So, he didn’t.

“That’s to be expected. If humans had no need for magic it would just take up more energy than needed.”  
“Aye, but it also means that part of Majerus’ plan is to find away to break through this new genetic code or rather rewrite it to allow humans to tap into the potential that they had lost.”  
“How do you figure that?”  
  
Gaster’s hands stopped and he cocked his head to the side as his opened eye closed half way. “Because that’s exactly how Annaliese gained her ability to tap into her soul.” Sans’ grin fell a bit.  
“So how can we stop him?”  
“I do not know.”  
“What?”  
  
The scientist sighed in frustration. “Annaliese and I do not have the energy to stretch our windows to watch over him and remain near to watch over you both. We have a idea of what he is trying to accomplish yes, however we have no idea of his intent towards Frisk. She fits into his plan yes, but how we do not know.” Sans stared at his father before looking down at Frisk and grunting.  
  
“Fair enough… But what does all of this have to do with Frisk’s memories?” Gaster looked at Sans with amusement.  
“You have become quite slow in your time without me boy. I would have expected you to realize it by now.”  
“Ya know I didn’t miss your insults. Wanna explain to the class, doc?”  
“We are not giving her the information she needs to be ahead of the game. However, her mother and I have agreed that she should not be informed of the memory you saw of her falling and her mother dying.”  
  
“Keeping information from Frisk hardly ends well.” Gaster’s expression became fiercely serious and it caused Sans more worry than it should have.  
“Under the influence or not you and I have both witnessed the damage Frisk can cause when she decides to commit to something. That’s why she must not learn the circumstances surrounding her fall or her mother’s demise.” Sans narrowed his eyes and dropped his smile completely.  
  
“I won’t hide that from her.”  
“You will if you do not want her to pick up a blade again.”  
“Frisk isn’t like that. Nothing that has happened will drive her to that.” His father looked at him sadly and shook his head.  
  
“Children are funny things, Sans…” The scientist began to fade but he continued to speak. “Controlled by emotions, when they seek to gain vengeance one shouldn’t be surprise when they produce a hatred strong enough to change the course of history itself.” Just as the man was about to disappear completely, he smiled at Sans. “You know this well… Don’t you?” Sans looked away and although Gaster had disappeared his voice lingered.  
  
“Hatred and pain can turn even a merciful heart vengeful, Sans. Never forget that.”

* * *

_The little girl knew she wasn’t actually awake when she came to consciousness. She rested her head on someone’s shoulder but she quickly found out that she wasn’t resting upon Sans. There was no threat though that didn’t stop her from speaking with sass. “You told my mother that it wasn’t smart to touch me.”  
“Indeed. However, you are touching me.”  
“There is no difference.”  
“Wrong. Intent always matters little one.”  
  
Frisk opened her eyes and looked up at the elder monster who looked down at her with a patience she had only witnessed in Sans. “It always matters.” For the longest moment she studied the beings face but after a moment she smiled.  
“I’m not afraid of you.” He blinked and a look of surprise came over him. It quickly turned into one of amusement and he chuckled gently.  
“I am not surprised truly; you would hardly be your mother’s child if you feared me.”  
  
“Was she afraid of you when you meet her?”  
“…She sassed me when we first spoke. Much like how you did.” Frisk grinned and he shook his head. “It is hardly surprising considering where you get it from.”  
“Where is she? Mama…” The monster paused.  
“In the void, child. I wished to speak to you one on one at the moment.”  
“Are you gonna show me something?”  
“Not this time.”_

_The child looked the monster however she was quick to shrug it off and press her cheek against the monster’s shoulder and he looked down at her. It really was no wonder why his son was enthralled with the child. She was endearing in her own right and held a pair of mischievousness that never seemed to fail. He pushed down his curiosity when it came to her however and began to speak.  
  
“He will not be there always to protect you little one.” Frisk looked up immediately and the good nature that once rested in her eyes fled. “Despite Sans’ effectiveness, he isn’t infallible.”  
“He won’t let anything happen to me.”  
“That he can control. He is already spread thin, child—”  
“Stop calling me, child. My name is Frisk.” She pulled from him completely and when she looked up at him her face was filled with disdain. The monster looked down at her before sighing.  
  
“Not every being refers to you in such a way as Majerus does. You are too easily riled, Frisk. You will make his job of keeping you safe harder.” She pursed her lips and looked away as she spoke.  
“Well what am I supposed to do? All I can do is dodge and—”  
“Do not lie to me, Frisk. You can do more than just dodge. That is the reason you have reset multiple times. That is the reason that little demon was able to get into your head because you have that potential within you.”  
“…I can’t…” She seemed to curl in upon herself at the thought of striking out against anyone again and she refused to look into his gaze.  
  
“…No. Perhaps you cannot to keep your promise to him.” Her soul began to appear and she gasped. Around it a black wisp began to appear and she reached out hesitantly. “But I can. Consider this our secret little one. If, and only if, you find yourself in a position where hope is lost and where no one will come—call to me. And I will set you free.”  
  
Frisk looked at her soul then back to the monster before narrowing her eyes. She didn’t feel any ill will from him, however she wasn’t sure that he meant well either. “How do I know I can trust you…?” His smile grew just slightly.  
  
“You can never trust a person fully, child.” She glared at him but he ignored it. “Every being, every person will always let you down. Whether it be parent, friend, lover or sibling. Tis the price of leaving things to fate.”  
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” This got a chuckle from him and the monster moved to stand.  
  
“Papyrus is right. Sans is a horrible influence upon you. Nevertheless, hearing it from me will do nothing to help that I’m afraid. Perhaps it is best if you hear it from Sans himself.” He turned his head and looked at her gently. “Ask him about the man forgotten by time. And if he refuses, tell him Gaster is aware of the conversation. He will change his tune.” Frisk frowned and furrowed her brow.  
“Who are you?” The monster turned away and began to fade away upon walking off.  
  
“A friend.”_

* * *

She felt more tired then than when she had gone to sleep previously. Looking up at the ceiling she sighed before looking down and calling out her soul. There was no surprise when she did see the wisp float around it however, she knew very well that her friend would not take well to seeing it. She didn’t like hiding things from him but until she got a firm hold upon everything, she was not going to mention a thing to him. Pulling back her bed sheets, Frisk stretched and moved to get ready for the day. Once she was dressed, she sighed and shoved her gloved hands into her pocket.  
  
“Hey I…need to talk to you.”  
“Shoot.”  
  
She turned and looked at the smiling skeleton who sat upon her bed. He was caught up in his thoughts—to her it was abundantly clear but that didn’t stop her from speaking on. “I need you to be 100% honest with me, Sans. No half-truths, no crap.” He raised a eyebrow and as she asked her question she watched his smile drop just a bit.  
  
“Who is Gaster?” The lights that severed as his eyes disappeared immediately and she knew what ever he was to say next would be nothing but a attempt to brush off the conversation."He was the man who spoke to my mother or rather is with my mother. He told me he was in the void with her.” She could see sweat fall down his skull and at some point she had expected him to disappear but when he sighed instead, she knew he had given in.  
“He’s a man that has been forgotten.”  
“He is he to you, Sans?” The skeleton stared at her and rose up.  
  
“What’s with all the questions, kid?”  
“Do not ignore my questions.”  
  
Sans came to stand before her however she was not intimidated as he looked down at her. If anything, she was worried and it showed in her eyes as she met his gaze. He hated it. “Its rude to talk about people who are listening, Frisk.” To his surprise the little girl smiled as if she expected such a response.  
“Then let us be happy that he is aware and approves of this conversation.” Sans narrowed his eyes just barely but deflated and shrugged.  
  
“Wing Ding Gaster was a brilliant monster. He was the royal scientist before Alphys. He was Asgore’s most trusted advisor. He was Asriel’s tutor as a child. He was my mentor and a father to me and Papyrus.” Frisk looked up in shock when the skeleton casually mentioned that the monster who spoke the strange language was his father. She watched as he turned to walk towards the door and scrambled to catch up. He didn’t pause in his words.  
  
“So determined he was to push monsters on to the surface, to push his machines to their full potential that he failed to realize those who would suffer if he happened to fail and cause damage that was irreparable. He fell into his own machine.” She flinched. “And in doing so erased himself from every single timeline and alternative universe.”  
“…He really is trapped in the void with mama...” Sans stopped and looked at the little girl sympathetically.  
  
“Sorry kid, but in all honestly they really are the legendary fart masters…”  
  
She wasn’t amused but that was alright—neither was he.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On to the next!


	18. Quand C'est?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quand C'est? by Stromae
> 
> Hi there and welcome to Muudercai writes chapter 18.  
> This whole pandemic thing has me dead. My mojo ran away and finally decided to come home. Sorry for the absence.  
> NYC is being ravished by COVID. So I'm gonna ignore the outside world and post. Y'all do the same and stay your asses home.
> 
> I have three chapters written up. I'll be posting them closely after each other. Why? Cause it's party time chapter 19 - 20.  
> We're going on a trip~ In my favorite rocket ship~

  
He wasn’t happy that she had to die.

No. Not in the least.

Despite what his colleagues had believed at the time, he wanted nothing more than to keep the woman alive, than to turn her to their side. But she was so stubborn. So, determined and set within her ways. It was something he adored about her but something that he could not tolerate as well. If she had listened, if she had realized that the achievements, they sought to make were worth the sacrifice of one child--! Things would have been different. The world would have already have been different. Her sacrifice seemed to have been in vain however, for the world delivered onto him the same child that she had sought to protect.

He hadn’t realized who she was at first. To be honest, in the beginning, he only saw a child who was trying to play an adult game after carelessly releasing monsters into their world. He saw her as a threat that needed to be eradicated and nothing more. And yet over time he saw the similarities that they shared. He saw how the child held her eyes, her mannerisms; she even held her attitude towards disrespect. But the main thing that caught his attention was her name.

 _Frisk_.

The fall must have messed with her head. The child didn’t remember that night. She didn’t remember her mother and she didn’t remember him. She didn’t remember how she used to stay in his office when she visited. She didn’t remember how he would try to teach her and help push her interest into science. She didn’t remember how her mother tried to keep her away from him and she didn’t remember the fear that ran through her when he and his men hunted her down in a attempt to rip her away from her mother. She didn’t remember and at first, he thought that would work out in his favor.  
  
Quickly, however, he found out that the little girl he once knew before her fall was no longer present. She was her mother’s child and yet there was a savageness that came from how the child held herself. She walked through life like a soldier; like a man who had seen death and survived only to come out stronger. He wasn’t sure that it wasn’t far from the truth to be honest. The trials the child had to face in the underground were unknown but if the monsters she kept in her company were anything to go by, she had walked hell and conquered it.

There was nothing he wanted more than to take the child under his wing. The moment he realized just how under prepared she was for this world he knew she would be an asset to twist. He had been doing his work to do so up until he was told that Aimé had beat him to it. It was hard not to unleash his rage when he found out. There was no doubt in his mind that the Frenchman also realized the similarities that the child shared with the deceased doctor. However, he didn't think that he had made the connection. No. Not yet. He looked into his glass and took a sip of his brandy before placing the glass down. It was sad really. He had expected the child to be easy to reel in but now she proved to be even more stubborn than her mother. With the way she was going she would end up just like her. Six feet under.  
  
If he was being honest with himself, he didn't quite understand how LOVE worked in relation to monsters. For humans it was easy enough to detect and understand how much they had and how quickly they gained it. However, for monsters it was another ball game. Even the most dangerous of monster seemed to keep their LOVE to themselves. It was hard to determine how strong he was against them but that didn't mean that he wasn't able to determine who in the child's arsenal was a true threat. And the main one was dressed to the T in blue.  
  
Upon first meeting the skeletons, he was put off by seeing such abominations. He had originally believed that the taller one was a force to be dealt with due to the being’s stature. As time went on, he was quickly shown the error of his beliefs. The one they called 'Sans' held a lazy disposition and apathetic front to throw people off, but he was for all intents and purpose a extension of the child's arm. Where she pointed him, he went and even if she didn't abuse his loyalty from what he had seen, the skeleton wasn't afraid to make threats on her behalf. A fact he came face to face with when the child sent the being to his home. He had quickly felt his utter soul being violated, searched upon in the presence of the monster. It was hard not to feel like a child being looked down upon by the being when dealing with his seemingly eternal patience or rather stoicism.   
  
But that stoicism had a limit and he had found it when he spoke ill about the child. The taste of the raw power the skeleton exhibited when he offended the girl's name was enough to put fear into his heart. It also was enough to make him think. There was no way he could get a hold of the little girl with the skeleton near. It would be impossible considering the skeletons need to be at her side constantly. He was a extension of the child's arm and if he dared to make a move against her he would find that the skeleton's threat held more weight than words. 

And yet perhaps he didn’t have to get to the girl away from him forcefully in the end. After all he was very well aware of the fact that there was another that held just a bit more weight than the child in the skeleton’s eyes. Family had to look out for each other after all. The taller skeleton was opening, naïve and unaware it seemed of how humans could be so devious. Always willing to give them a chance. That would be the only opening he needed to get closer to what he wanted.  
  
“Monsieur?” The old man looked up and gestured for the maid to walk in. The woman pushed a tea cart up to his desk and as she began to make tea for him despite the glass of liquor he still nursed. She spoke on softly. “The others have located the entrance to the underground.”  
“The mouth the child fell into?”  
“No, Monsieur. The area where the barrier fell.”  
“Good. Send word that I want them to go in and investigate but remove nothing until I descend and meet them.”  
  
For the past few years, himself and his colleagues have happened upon a undiscovered power source that seemed to radiate from the mountain. When they first discovered it, they thought nothing of it. Ebott had always been, in the eyes of humans, a mere inactive volcano. It wasn’t surprising that there was something radiating from it and as long as it wasn’t erupting, they ignored it. But now that they knew otherwise. Now they knew what had really resided within Ebott and if the creatures that came out were anything to go by, the gods only knew what that power truly was. If he could harness it and get his hands on the child simultaneously, he could bring his dream to a reality.  
  
“Monsieur?” He looked up at his servant. “Pardon me, do you believe that capturing the child is the right course of action? She is just a child.” Majerus frowned deeply before leaning back in his chair. He reached out and took the cup she offered to him and looked down into the tea.  
“There has never been a time in human history where sacrifices were not necessary. She is just a child, but she is a child who is the key to making our race stronger. She holds a bond that crosses the gap when it comes to magic between humans and monsters. Without her, there is no way we will be able to properly unleash the genetic hold that stops us from harnessing the powers we lost.”  
  
The maid stared at the man coldly but he took no offense to it. The woman never showed much of any emotion he found. Nevertheless, her next words threw him off. “Is that not what you said with Annaliese, my lord?” He brought his fist down on the table so viciously that his cup tipped over and spilled his tea and liquor everywhere. The maid didn’t miss a beat when it came to cleaning it up but once she was done, he pointed to the door.  
“Hold your tongue, _wench._ Leave me and do as you were told.”  
“Yes, Monsieur.”

The woman moved to push the tea cart out of the room, leaving only a glass of water in her wake. When the door was closed behind her, he placed his hand to his face. It was what he said last time. Last time he believed more than anything that the woman’s sacrifice would help bridge the gap.  
  
And he was wrong.  
  
Majerus placed his hands to his temples and stared off past the window. But that wrong doing brought him closer to his goal and for that he would accept the sin. It didn’t matter how many had to be shot. It didn’t matter how many had to be inadvertently pushed down the mouth of Ebott. If he grew even an inch closer to creating his perfect world—it would be worth every single death that was needed. The years wore on him and he knew he would have to act. Sighing deeply the man rose. "I'm not sorry for what I did, Annaliese." He whispered to himself, unaware of the shadow that listened.

"But I am sorry I had to do it." 

* * *

Science was able to create and destroy bonds through out time. It was able to take civilizations from stabbing madly at animals with rocks on the ends of sticks to living in the comforts of modern society. But science wasn’t the end all solution when it came to everything. At least not the science that was at his disposal. When he was a young man working under Annaliese, he would have laughed at the notion of seeking out monster technology just as hard as he would have laughed at the notion that monsters were real. Now, in his old age, he could laugh at himself for missing signs that clearly pointed to the unbelievable being quite real.  
  
It had taken only a handful of days for the men to dig their feet into the underground and make findings worth summoning him for. The moment his colleagues sent word he didn’t hesitate to make his way to the underground, leaving word that all inquiries of his whereabouts were to be excused. Thorough his journey, he found himself unamused at how long it took to get to the entrance of the underground. He knew that it would take time yes, but he did not realize where his car would have to be stopped before he continued on foot. Honestly, and perhaps naively, he had thought that the area around the mountain would have been cleared up by now. There should really have been no surprise.  
  
“How much longer, Captain?”  
“The entrance is about another 10 minutes away, Monsieur. Upon entering it is about another forty minutes to the area where we discovered the labs.”  
“How many did you find?”  
“There were fifteen different laboratories in that building. However, the most extensive ones were upon the upper and sub levels. The sub levels seem to be the areas in which the most vital research was kept. We managed to find multiple works on different machines however, it isn’t a complete compilation of the data.”

Majerus snorted and fought to not roll his eyes. “I want to say I am surprised at their willingness to leave such important works behind. And yet, when your ambassador is a child who has more common sense than the whole group combined, it really isn’t shocking that they didn’t properly clear out the laboratories.”  
“They are monsters, Monsieur. No matter how many achievements they make, stupidity is bound to follow.” He couldn’t argue with that. “Since relying the message, the main scientist have begun to set up around a machine of particular interest. They do not have a idea yet as to what it does but they all seem to be in agreement that it is the source of power that continues to show up.”  
  
In the back of his mind, the man couldn’t help but to wonder if they were really so ignorant as to think that the source of power within the underground would go untouched. He truly wondered what the monsters were playing at. Yet, if he was remembering correctly from what he saw, there was only one main scientist that ran things. The yellow one who seemed like she was going to have a heart attack by breathing. Gently, Majerus shook his head. How they managed to survive that long in the underground the world would never know…  
  
Silence came over the two as they commuted from his car to where the barrier fell. It remained when they arrived but the councilman became more involved into his thoughts upon finally entering the previous domain of the monsters. The castle itself, though he would be pressed to admit it, astounded him. It wasn’t because the architecture itself was anything to write home about. No, if anything it was standard stone keep statue. It was even reminiscent of medieval castles--and that was the amazing thing about it. For all their downfalls, all their short sightedness, these beings managed to build a civilization under ground that lasted human generations. He curled his fist within his pocket.  
  
If only Annaliese could see this. If only she could stand and witness what these beings could accomplish with nothing but magic. Take away magic from the monsters and they would have died out a long time ago. How could she have faced this and stated once again that allowing humans to have magic was a risk? How could she have not considered the diseases they could cure, the advancements they could make as a race in the face of this all? Majerus couldn’t help but to purse his lips. He knew she wouldn’t considered it. Even if she faced all of this, she would have told him the same thing she told him before. If he needed any more proof of that, he only needed to look at her daughter as an example.  
  
The thoughts were pushed aside and he moved to make note of their surroundings. This wouldn’t be the first time nor the last time that he made his way into the underground, it would be best if he became acquainted with the areas as much as possible. The captain cleared his throat and quickly pulled his attention from his thoughts.  
  
“The area we entered was named ‘New Home’, Monsieur. Apparently, there were six locations documented and one that was not. New Home, The Core, Hotlands, Waterfall, Snowdin and the Ruins. All the information we have collected about these locations is incomplete as their names have been only found on papers scattered across the castle. I have sent men out to scout out each location.”  
“What of this undocumented location?”  
“Tis the laboratory I spoke of earlier in a sub level, Monsieur. One of the men found it while poking around the Hotlands. We were surprised that it was not close to the Core but then again it did seem like a shady place. It is too early to say but perhaps some rather…unclean experiments went on there. The scientist stated that they would look further into it after they have finished their business in upon a machine they have found.”  
  
He raised his eyebrow. “A machine?”  
“Aye. Appears to be a skull shaped monstrosity. Was a bit hard to set up around it because the monsters have it set up over a hole in the floor.”  
“…Strange.” The captain laughed besides himself and looked at Majerus.  
“I suppose that’s one way to describe it, Monsieur.”  
  
It seemed that the well of mysteries that came with the underground were just getting deeper and deeper. He could only hope that he could find the key he needed with in to make his goal a reality. If it didn’t this excursion was for naught. So lost was he in his thoughts, that he didn’t noticed his colleagues until his name was called.  
“Majerus!” The man looked up and smiled.  
“Ah, Jonas how goes it? Were you able to track the source of power?” The doctor laughed and waved his hand dismissively.  
“The Core? Majerus, my dear man! The Core is just the tip of what we have discovered! Come my friend. Captain, you are dismissed.”  
  
The captain bowed his head before turning away to return to his work as the doctor gestured for Majerus to follow. “I believe the captain has already told you a rundown of everything so far yes? He has made it known that he believes us to be fools for focusing on a unknown machine and not the Core only but he doesn’t understand what this machine is.”  
“And do you?”  
Jonas grinned wickedly and released a dark chuckle. He was dear friend, truly, but he would never hesitate to liken the doctor to that of a mad scientist. “Monsters… Are stupid creatures.” Majerus didn’t respond. “There is so much they left behind here. So much they didn’t bother to grab when they returned to the surface. One of these things were a series of VHS tapes.”  
“…VHS tapes…?”  
“Aye. They lack video but the audio has been retained. In them is the key we were searching for. The key that can help us unlock the potential of mankind itself!” Majerus moved to speak but soon stopped in his tracks and turned to the machine that stood before them.  
  
In the heart of every person, no matter how high their determination was, no matter how solid their resolve was; the point of no return always brought a slither of dread into them. And when Jonas threw his hands out, standing in front of the skull like monstrosity of a machine, Majerus felt that same slither run through his heart just as he did when he hunted down Annaliese.  
  
“I present to you, the DT Extraction Machine.”

* * *

It wasn’t so bad, having time away from science. To be honest, she was completely lost at first when it came to what to do with her life. For the first few weeks, she did mourn the loss of her status. But, with the help of her wife and surprisingly the prince, she managed to find things to fill her days. Science would never stop being a big part of her however. She wasn’t allowed to work under the king and queen any more but that didn’t mean she couldn’t put her skills to use.  
  
And so, she did. Once she got over the feeling of being lost, she began to look into different things in the human world that monsters would need. She was already working on different medicines before she was demoted but now, she had more time to truly focus on it. Not to mention, the different kinds of smart phones that humans had surpassed the phones they were still using from the underground. It was time for an upgrade but now, things that once had to be placed on the back burner were able to be worked on. No, it wasn’t some glorious project promoted by the royals. But in all honesty, her anxiety couldn’t thank her enough for that.  
  
“So why can’t we just take this medicine? It's just for a simple cold right? Monsters get it too. Can’t be that different.” Alphys rolled her eyes but the prince caught it immediately. “Did you just roll your eyes at me? Ya loose the role as Royal Scientist next thing you know the sass level is turned up to ten—Oomph!” A pillow landed straight in his face but she didn’t acknowledge it as she spoke.  
  
“You would think in theory. But the issue is that the medicine that humans take works too well for monsters.” The prince placed the pillow in his lap before laying down on the couch. He continued to look at Alphys but the woman kept her back turned to him. She still had her lab down stairs but prefered to move when he came over it was easier to watch television and work on menial task at the coffee table.  
“This pillow is mine now, by the way.” Alphys rolled her eyes again however the prince did not see it this time. “Regardless how can something work too well?” Alphys paused and hummed.  
  
“Think about it in terms of DT. Monsters can handle some, albeit a very small amount of it, but if you put too much into them, they simply melt.”  
“Or become emotionless plant monsters with the power to change the timelines with a whim—Oomph! Listen woman, throw one more fucking pillow and I’m claiming all of them property of the royal family.” This time she did turn her head to him so that he could witness her sticking her tongue out at him before she continued to explain.  
  
“Although this medicine has no where near the same effects as DT does on a monster, too much of some of the ingredients will make monsters sick instead of cure them. My goal is to study the different aliments that monsters can contract upon the surface and tailor different medicines.” The prince folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes.  
“Wouldn’t this be easier with the smiling trash bag?”  
“Sans is busy getting things set up for the party with your sister. And shouldn’t you be with her?”  
“I was earlier.”  
“…And?” The prince gave a shit eating grin but never opened his eyes.  
“Frisk kicked me out for a few hours for pissing off the trash bag.”  
  
Alphys shook her head. “Must you antagonize him so? You’re on the same team you know.”  
“We’re on the same team until he makes Frisk cry. Then he’s a new timeline pile of dusk.” She stopped her work and frowned. His threats didn’t cause her pause. Asriel had made a habit of hanging around herself and others to the point where his more ‘Flowey’ mannerisms were merely apart of how he was at this point. No, it wasn’t the tone of what he said that made her pause. It was the content.  
  
“H-Have you spoken to Frisk about what you three will do if something goes wrong…?” The humor fell from his face instantly and he opened his eyes as he turned his head to her.  
“As far as…?”  
“Frisk isn’t going to be content if something goes wrong… If anyone gets hurt and she can stop it—”  
“She will **not** reset.”  
A few things had changed in her time as a new free woman. She found her anxiety dying. She found a new sense of confidence (slowly growing new sense of confidence but confidence nonetheless). She also found herself speaking up more. In the face of all the changes, however, she still found herself faltering from time to time. Especially in the face of particular monsters such as the prince and his temper.  
  
“T-That’s not what I was s-saying! Nor i-implying.”  
“Then what are you implying, Alphys?”  
  
For a moment she debated keeping silent. And yet if there was anyone who should know of what they spoke about… “Some time ago, Frisk let it slip to Sans that she did not only have the ability to reset.” She could see Asriel freeze up on the spot. “She relied to him that she could also take command of what she called ‘save points’ and load them back. Essentially jumping back to a point in the timeline that she had bookmarked.”  
“How do you know this…?” He was sitting up properly at this point with his hands folded upon his lap.  
“To my knowledge, outside of Frisk, Sans, Papyrus and you I am the only one who knows about it in the immediate group. Sans called me after he spoke to Papyrus to have me check on the timeline fluctuations. He wanted to make sure that Frisk was telling the truth about not messing with the current time line.”  
  
Asriel laughed. “That smiling trash bag can hide it all he wants but he doesn’t trust Frisk any further than he can throw her. Piece of shit, I fucking knew it.”  
“That’s not true!” The prince waved her off and she frowned deeply.  
“Uh huh, sure Alphys. Anyway, what the hell are you getting at?” The scientist frowned before biting her tongue and continuing her questioning.  
“As I was saying… With that power, if something goes wrong Frisk will load. You know, that right?”  
“I would think that everyone would understand that. She would never let one of us die.”  
“No… but she would very well let herself die if it meant we all profited in the end.”  
  
For the first time since his arrival, true conflict appeared upon his face. He couldn’t deny his companions words nor could he refute that his sister wouldn’t do something so stupid. It wasn’t a matter of if she could do it, she would do it. And without a leg to stand on in this time line that was untouched and unexplored it would be hard to protect the little girl from herself. The smiling trash bag barely saved her from herself in the first place. There would be little room to save her if she chose to be a martyr in the heat of the moment. “I was thinking—” The prince pulled away from his thoughts and looked at Alphys with a deadpan look. He snipped before she could stop him.  
  
“No, we are not going to extract Frisk’s determination to stop her from being a hazard to herself.”  
  
That did it. Alphys banged her fist on the table, actually causing the prince to jump before turning to him with fire in her eyes. He held his hands up in mercy but that did little to stop the woman from taking another pillow and slapping him as hard as she could. He did laugh in spite of the pain that filled him from the attack but ceased his jest when she turned back to sit in front of the coffee table. She huffed and scowled. “I-I swear! I may have brought you back but you are as insufferable as always! Mean for no reason! No, I was **not** going to suggest we extract her determination, jerk!” The prince snickered under his breath however she continued on. “What I was going to suggest is that you speak to Sans.”  
“Dafuq would I do that?” Alphys looked over her shoulder with a sharp glare.  
“Because he may be the only one who can help you save Frisk!”  
  
He pondered it for a moment before turning his head away. “And just how would he be able to do that? Take a nap?”  
“Frisk isn’t the only one who can control the time lines or has knowledge of them.”  
“Perhaps but her determination is stronger than my own. Even if it is taken from her.” Alphys gave him a gentle but sad smile.  
  
“It will be if she gets herself killed.” His frown deepened significantly and his lip even furrowed up, showing off his teeth. The thought alone caused him more internal distress than he would like to admit…  
“Sans is just as worried about her doing something self-sacrificial. Just… Speak to him. Try, Asriel…” The prince frowned and looked upon the scientist before standing up and brushing off his clothes.  
“Fine… But don’t expect anything less than a fight from us speaking to each other.” Alphys sighed and smiled at him before looking back at her work.  
  
“I’m sure that you will manage for Frisk’s sake.” He scoffed and waved at her as he walked off towards the door.  
“That or you’ll have to put that medicine to the test a lot quicker than you thought.” 

* * *

“Again.”  
“I only missed one this time though…”  
“Practice makes perfect, kid. Its your last test before the party—might as well go out with a bang.”  
“…Fine…”  
“All radioactivity is man-made. True or false?”  
  
Although she grumbled, Frisk did appreciate the time they were spending with each other. After the realization that both of their parents were in the same boat (and as Sans so eloquently put it “A few cards short of a full deck.”) They had spent some time apart. Though she wanted nothing more than to focus her efforts on figuring out the mysteries surrounding her mother and his father, she still had to plan for the party that was only a few days away. Sans, outside of checking up on her however, did not have any rigorous plans set in stone. So, she was hardly surprised when he disappeared for moments at a time. There was little doubt that he was in that makeshift lab of his, looking through his notes or fruitlessly attempting to tinker with the machine. It was an endeavor that would never be completed, they both knew it, but if it helped him sort out his thoughts, she would leave him be.  
  
Until she needed help with her science studies that was.  
  
“False.” He closed his eyes half way and gave a short nod of approval.  
“Good, why?”  
“The sun and stars emit cosmic radiation that interacts with Earth's atmosphere. There's also natural radioactive material in soil, water and vegetation.”  
“Correct. Next—”  
  
White pin lights met ruby irises and the skeleton sighed gently. He could practically taste the mischievous that began to drip off of her and he didn’t know if he should be amused or wary. “Sup, kid?”  
“Wanna hear something terrible?” Sans narrowed his eyes at her, not believing he could take more random and/or bad news upon realizing that not so lost father was still very present and conscious.  
Well… As conscious and aware as a man who had been thrown into the void could be.  
  
“…What?”  
“Paper.”  
  
He blinked and the little girl began to grin. “Told you it was _tear-able_.” There was a pregnant pause before the skeleton began to laugh upon pushing Frisk’s face out of his own. The little girl giggled in return.  
“Frisk, I love you but I will disown you over these puns.”  
Immediately, Frisk perked up just as Sans scowled. Without giving the skeleton a second thought, the child launched herself at her brother and laughed as he caught her effortlessly. There had been a attempt at a silent truce between himself and the prince to be cordial (as cordial as two smartasses with sharp tongues could be) towards each other for the sake of Frisk. As his eyes came to rest on the prince’s face, it slowly became clear that something had him on edge and unfortunately the skeleton was his target. He didn’t address him right away, deciding to pay more attention to his sister than the object of his ire.  
  
“Aimé told me you might be studying but if puns has your attention then I am not sorry I interrupted. I thought you were here to learn not rot your brain cells.” Frisk pouted and moved to make a comment but before she could Sans chimed in.  
  
“Sup, goat boy?”  
“Nothing much, trash bag.”  
“Ouch. I was actually starting to miss you too.”  
“Promise?”  
“If I promise will you go, like, really far away?”  
“If you need so much space, there’s always NASA.”  
“Fair enough. I’d take you with me but if you come with me, who’s gonna stay and run hell?” Frisk got out of her brother’s arms and stood in between the two monsters trying in vain to get them to stop from their verbal assaults.  
  
“I’d slap you, trash bag, but I don’t condone animal abuse.”  
“Heh. That’s the best insult you got, _goat_?”  
“Not insulting you. I’m describing you. Speaking of animals, how did you get here? Did Frisk leave your cage open again?” Sans sighed and shrugged. The gesture was relaxed but his annoyance didn’t pass Frisk or Asriel.  
“Ya know everyone keeps telling me that you and I should see things from each other’s point of view however, I can’t seem to get my head that far up my ass. Just because you have one doesn’t mean you need to be one.”  
  
“ALRIGHT ALREADY!” The two looked down at the exasperated ambassador who hand her hands on her hips and a scowl on her lips. “Honestly. I am the one who is supposed to be the child here but it continues to become more and more apparent that maturity isn’t based off a number.” Sans sneered and moved to sit back down as Asriel stuck his tongue out at him childishly. She ignored her brother’s gest and inclined her head to the side. “What are you even doing here? I thought you were just going to spend the weekend into Monday here not Thursday forward.” The prince smiled at her sluggishly.  
  
“What? Can’t an older brother come to check up on his little sister without any alternative motive?” The look on Frisk’s face made it known that she wasn’t easily fooled.  
“Sure, if that older brother’s name doesn’t start with a ‘A’.” Frisk looked over her shoulder at Sans. “Or a ‘S’.”  
“Ouch, kid. Right through the heart.” She ignored him and turned her attention back to her brother. Asriel didn’t attempt to deflect.  
“Touché. Actually, I’m not here for you. I’m here to speak to Sans.”  
  
Sans would be lying if he didn’t say that the sound of his proper name didn’t gain his attention however, he wasn’t going to fold that quickly. His tone was all he needed to know that whatever the prince had to say, he wanted nothing to do with it. “Not interested. Why don’t you go play in traffic?” The prince was hardly put off.  
“Aww, don’t be like that Sansy!” The skeleton could easy say that he preferred ‘smiling trash bag’ a thousand times more than ‘Sansy’. “Don’t ya trust me?” The expressionless look on his face garnered a snort from Frisk but Asriel schooled his own. “Well, I can’t say I am surprised. After all you still don’t trust Frisk. Why would you trust me?”  
  
The little girl looked at him curiously and as she did, Sans’ agitation became apparent. “You’re grabbing for straws Azzy. You know Sans trusts me. Now at least…” Asriel raised a eyebrow at his sister, almost amused at how she truly believed such a thing. He almost felt bad about letting the information out but not bad enough to keep his mouth shut.  
“Perhaps. So tell me Sans, what did Alphys find when you asked her to check over the timelines once Frisk revealed she could load?” You could hear the sound of a pin drop in the silence that took over the room even as Sans appeared behind the little girl. He placed a hand on her shoulder but it didn’t discourage how ridged she became. “Well? What was the verdict? Was she lying to you about resetting?”  
  
Frisk looked at Sans with fragile eyes expecting him to meet her gaze to prove that Asriel was just attempting to stir the pot. When he would not, her own gaze became steeled. Gently, she removed the skeleton’s hand from her shoulder and glared at her brother darkly. “Asriel Dreemurr.” His full name wiped a bit of the smugness off of his face. In his time back amongst the group, two truths were revealed to him about his little sister. The child before him presented herself in two ways. The first was the little loving girl who became his adopted sister and savior of the monsters. The second was as a child with enough power to scorch if you crossed her. She may not have known what exactly he was playing at, but she made it known she was hardly amused.

“With all the work I have to do with my studies and with the party—I do not need you coming into my domain and attempting to wreak havoc. If you wanna being a jackass then go home.” He blinked in surprise. The anger she directed at him was…unexpected and he rubbed the back of his neck in visible guilt.  
“Aww Frisk—”  
“She may have made you whole again, but you are nothing short of that demonic flower you once where in moments like this.” Asriel physically flinched. “If that’s how you want to live your new life, then fine. But you best hold your deviousness around me.” The child shoved past her brother with force and walked out the door. “Or you will find the relationship you have with your only remaining sibling souring. And Sans...” She looked over her shoulder. "Moving forward, please keep in mind that trust is a two way street. Just because one side proves itself sturdy to the other, doesn't mean the side that checked isn't infallible either." The door slammed behind her leaving two monsters to stew in her fleeting presence. The prince gritted his teeth, knowing he would have to do more than apologize to his sister for upsetting her so.  
  
“Maybe I went a little too far—”  
  
The words barely left his mouth as the boney fist connected with his jaw. Violence was unbecoming of him for the most part and yet he wasn’t above it especially when the child was out of sight. It didn’t help that Asriel’s face was already punchable. The monster staggered back and snarled. “Fucking hell, what the hell was that for?!” He wasn’t surprised to see Sans’ eye aglow nor to see his grin turn from docile to menacing. Afterall, he had been on the end of that look so many times before.  
“You know if your so insistent on pushing the line of how much I am willing to tolerate from you, you are going to end up facing down another blaster.” The skeleton shook his head. “How long did it take for all that ‘making sure my future mistakes do not hurt Frisk’ b.s to fail, hmm? A week? Two?”  
  
Asriel frowned and stood up straight, staring Sans down with no hesitation. “And I would do it again if it made sure she was not present to stop this conversation. I would have had to find a way to speak to you without her trying to snoop regardless. Your need to try to find a fault in her promises only made it easier. If you do not want your foot in your mouth, then stop attempting to bend it towards it.” Sans clutched his fist pushed past him. He was still his prince and whether or not the judge liked it, Asriel wouldn’t be instilled with fear when it came to him as the others had been. He didn’t speak until he sat down “It’s true that Alphys did bring up your slip up in our conversation but it was only a piece of the full thing. She also brought to my attention an issue that I am sure you have already been pondering but one that has no solution.”  
“And that would be?”  
  
The look of solemn worry that went over the prince’s face didn’t elude him. The skeleton could only hope that it was not more news or twist that would make life any more difficult than it already was. “If one of us dies, even if it’s a Snowdrake that Frisk met only once, she would not hesitate to load the world to bring us back. That is who she is. We are her family, the only one she remembers at least. She would exhaust every option first but, in the end, if a load is what it took to bring one of us back, she would do it in a heartbeat.” Sans moved to sit in a chair across from Asriel. Upon doing so, the prince looked up at him. “You know as well as I that she will not reset due to the promise that you two have made. There is no risk of that. The risk comes in when you consider the fact that she most likely will not load back to a save point if something happens to her.”  
  
_“If I die, I will load.”_  
He remembered her words clearly.  
  
_“If one of our family members dies, I will reload…”  
_And he chose to believe her.  
  
“She will not allow herself to die without a reason, Asriel. She told me that herself.”  
_“I promised you I would stay alive… and I mean it, Sans.”  
  
_The prince frowned. “Shes told you a lot of things that you never believed, Sans. Yet you chose to believe her this time?” Sans clenched his fist and shoved them into his pockets. He wouldn’t have his actions thrown in his face continuously.  
“And you don’t? Based off of what—a speculation given by an ex-Royal Scientist?” Asriel looked down and for a moment gathered his thoughts. Sans began to end the conversation but wasn’t given the chance.  
“It wouldn’t be the first nor the last timeline that ended in Frisk allowing herself to die despite her promises to be there because she believed it would be for the better good. If she does then great, there was no need to worry. But if she doesn’t?” He looked up at Sans and for the first time the skeleton could see something other than anger or deflection in the prince’s eyes. Fear. Not of him, not for himself but for his sister. It was a feeling that hit home, a feeling that filled his eyes more than once for his own brother. “I’m not asking for soft promises. What I want is for you to be aware of the safe fail.”  
  
The sympathy that almost welled up for the prince almost instantly went back down. “What did you do...?”  
“Keh, as if I could do anything right now. Alphys already told you what I was recreated off of.” The prince allowed his soul to appear just slightly. “I hold my own determination created off of Frisk’s own. Even still, she is the reigning authority on manipulate the timeline. I couldn’t do that if I tried—not even when I was a flower.” The soul faded. “The only thing I can do now is create multiple save points. I don’t know how many Frisk is making. With everything going on I wouldn’t be surprised if she forgot to save at crucial moments but, I want to make sure that she is safe.” Sans stared the prince down before mumbling.  
“You want to be able to load if she is killed.”  
“Only if she doesn’t bring herself back.”  
Sans frowned at him and his sympathy for the prince’s plight rose again. “And would it stop here?”  
“…What…?”  
  
_“I’m not planning to die…”  
_  
“What about when this is all over, Asriel? What about when it's simply her time to die? Will you load then?” Asriel looked at him with a surprised expression on his face no doubt feeling the same amount of it as he had. When Frisk stated she would allow herself to die when it was her natural time, he expected to feel disbelief, to be able to detect some kind of deception. All he felt instead was sadness at the fact that in this timeline he knew in his heart she was telling the truth. If she was Papyrus, he wouldn’t have given a shit who said it was his natural time, he would have fought for his life until the end. However, Frisk wasn’t a monster. She was a human. A human who had lived different lives in different timelines and managed to stay as an immortal child until now. Now, she could finally live. And with living she could finally die of old age as her race was meant to. How could they deny her of that…?  
  
_“Until its my natural time to do so.”  
  
_Asriel couldn’t. After all he had been through with his own death, rebirth and fight to return to his own body; Asriel couldn’t deny Frisk when it was her time. He wouldn’t put her through that pain. But… He didn’t want to think about it either. “Never.” The normally arrogant prince’s voice came out in a gentle whisper but the other monster heard him clearly. “But I won’t let her be denied a proper life. If its stolen from her, I will do my best to load so that we can bring her back… At least… At least while she is still a child.”  
  
It was moments like this that reminded Sans that the prince before him was no longer the emotionless flower he tangoed with in different timelines. No, before him rested merely a monster who, openly or not, only sought to make sure his sibling was taken care of to the best of his abilities. If nothing else, he could respect that. “Then we are on the same page.” Asriel looked up in slight confusion. “For now, until the immediate threat is over it would do us good to make sure that you make saves frequently. We have no way of knowing when she will deem it necessary to save so that means before every event it will do you well to save.” Sans looked over the prince gently, watching while he tried to visibly push back the thoughts of Frisk falling. It was hard not to think of her not dying due to monsters, humans, timeline anomalies or her need to spare even the vilest person. After everything they had been through, to see her die simply because of old age…  
  
“Hey.” Red eyes met white pin lights. “Focus on the here and now. We still have years to come before we have to part.” The red eyes lingered before hiding behind lids that shielded them from the world. A smile appeared upon his lips and Asriel snorted.  
“Oh gee. Ninety years of sparing homicidal humans.”  
“And taking orders from a woman who will never come above our waist.”  
“Having to deal with unwarranted attitudes.”  
“Dealing with someone who goes from childish to ancient sage in ten minutes straight.”  
“…What was I sad about again?”  
  
Sans snorted and shook his head upon giving a halfhearted wave. “I’ll make sure to keep my logs up to date on these saves… I don’t wanna go forgetting things if we have to. But for now, I have a seething child I need to speak to.” He could practically hear the grin appearing upon Asriel’s face. “Thanks for that by the way.”  
“No problem, Sansy.” Fucking… “After all, a hypocrite makes for a poor judge.”  
"And there goes the moment."  
“Give Frisk a hug for me~” It took everything he had not to turn and punch the other side of the prince’s face as he moved out the door. Slamming it wasn’t remotely satisfying but as the door sounded off behind him, it gave him is own piece of solace to hear his voice cut short.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some Azzy/Sans beat down/bonding time.  
> Majerus is obsessed yo. Little bit.... tiny bit.
> 
> Chapter 19 will be up on Wednesday! Look forward to it.


	19. Believer ( Party time Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Believer-Imagine Dragons  
> Majerus tries one more time to sway Frisk.  
> Party time.  
> Pap is making friends.  
> Lol this isn't gonna fit in one chapter.

There was so much to do that morning. Although he was happy that Sans was actually putting in work and looking after Frisk, it meant that he had to pick up the slack elsewhere. He didn’t mind. Today was the day of the party and they had all agreed to keep Frisk under their noses. It was hardly an issue with Frisk right next to Sans but Undyne hardly left her post to make sure things were truly locked down. Papyrus almost felt bad for the humans under her command. He was used to Undyne’s more chaotic measures but even after all these months under her, they were still learning. One human had made a mistake of keeping one section of the manor unsupervised and the brutal verbal lashing he received from the ex-Captain of the guard almost brought the grown man to tear. Frisk may have made sure that Undyne didn’t physically harm the men however sometimes the verbal abuse was just as bad.  
  
But that was neither here nor there. Frisk had sent the skeleton into the city in order to make sure that the caterers got her orders down to a ‘T’. He had assured her that she had gone over it so many times with them that there was no way they would make a mistake. Yet, she would hear none of it. He was proud of her wish to make sure that the party went off without a hitch but he wished she would enjoy her birthday a bit more. Perhaps he would surprise her with a cake of her own when this was all over. Surely his magnificent cooking would bring a smile upon her face. It didn’t take him that long arrive at the shop. The shopkeeper laughed the moment he stepped in.  
  
“Oh no, Papyrus did Frisk send you here to go over the list again?”  
“HELLO HUMAN! INDEED, SHE HAS. I TOLD HER THAT THERE WAS NO NEED TO DO SO BUT, FOR HER SAKE, WE MUST MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS PERFECT. THERE IS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON HER SHOULDERS AND SHE MUST NOT FAIL TO IMPRESS.” The shopkeeper didn’t know if she should be more amused over the fact that Papyrus was insistent on calling her ‘human’ or the fact that she was pretty sure that Frisk was going to develop OCD after this event was over.  
  
“That little girl is going to drive herself mad with this party. Did Aimé manage to get her to give him some of the responsibilities she took on herself? I know he spoke of her picking up more task that the servants could easily do.”  
“UNFORTUNATELY NO. HE ATTEMPTED TO REASON WITH HER ABOUT TAKING THINGS EASY BUT SHE CONTINUED TO FIND WAYS TO BYPASS HIS WORDS. IN THE END, MY BROTHER AND HER OWN BROTHER FORCED HER TO HAND OVER SOMETHINGS.”  
“And?”  
“AND SHE ANGRILY FELL ASLEEP THE MOMENT A FREE PERIOD WAS IN HER SCHEDULE.” The woman laughed heartily and shook her head at the thought of Frisk barking orders until she passed out. She really was something else.  
“Well, let’s not keep the ambassador waiting. You got the list?”  
  
It was minuet task really that they sought to. Things that would be easily overlooked in other situations but they both knew that if they were not checked over, the child would have something to say instantly. They were only lucky that the issues that they found were little if any at all. After an hour or so of making sure everything was fine, Papyrus found himself walking out of the door waiving at the shopkeeper who returned the gesture with a smile.  
  
Even after all this time in the human world, Papyrus sometimes forgot to look before he made a turn. This was one of those moment. The skeleton turned past the door way with a unnatural speed and immediately he bummed into a woman. He found himself thankful for Undyne’s training, for keeping him on his toes helped him to quickly reach out and steady the woman upright. “OH! FORGIVE ME HUMAN!” The woman stared at him blankly, unfazed.  
“It is alright.”  
“ARE YOU HURT?”  
“No.”  
  
Her gaze was rather unsettling (he was sure that human did have to blink regularly) but, he continued on. “WELL THEN! WITH THAT SOLVED I MUST BE GOING NOW! STAY WELL, HU—”  
“Who is with Frisk now, Papyrus?”  
If he would have had blood, as the human saying went, it would have ran cold in his veins at the question. He didn’t allow the emotion to reflect upon his face but the subtle incline of his head and widening of his smile signaled his understanding of a possible threat. “I’M SORRY… DO I KNOW YOU, HUMAN?”  
The woman placed her hands in her pockets. “Can you eat?” The unwarranted question shocked him more than the fact that she knew of himself and Frisk.  
  
“W-WHAT?”  
“Can you eat?”  
“WELL, YES BUT—”  
“Come. I have not eaten lunch yet.”  
  
Without a word the woman walked off knowing that the skeleton, though with hesitation, would follow. And follow he did as the pair soon found themselves sitting outside of a café. Alarms sounded off every time the monster attempted to make sense of the situation, he found himself in but what else could he do but see it through? It wasn’t surprising that the woman would know Frisk’s name. He doubted there was anyone in the city who didn’t. But for someone to know his name and have enough knowledge to question who was guarding her…  
  
“You haven’t touched your tea. Is there something wrong with it?” He started at the woman’s voice and realized that she had her gaze settled upon him.  
“FORGIVE ME HUMAN, HOWEVER I AM MORE INTERESTED IN SOMETHING ELSE BESIDES TEA.”  
“Like who I am?”  
“YES.” She was a dark-skinned woman with black hair and green eyes. Most of the humans he had met were rather pale however and he was sure that she had never seen her before and yet…  
“A acquaintance of your brother, Sans.” This would normally put him at ease but it only seemed to push him further to the edge.  
“SANS? I DID NOT KNOW THAT SANS HAD FRIENDS—”  
The clinking of her tea cup on the table silenced him for a second and she was quick to speak. “A acquaintance is not a friend. I have had the…chance of meeting him in passing but that is all.” Papyrus narrowed his eyes at her quickness to correct him.  
“THEN HOW HAVE YOU HAD THE CHANCE OF MEETING HIM.” She furrowed her eyebrow in slight annoyance but kept her tone steadily monotoned.  
“Because I am the maid who allowed him into Monsieur Majerus’ estate.” The alarms went from sounding off to blaring and Papyrus didn’t attempt to hide the slight disdain his voice.  
“MAJERUS…”  
  
She nodded, again unfazed at how the skeleton tensed at the name. “Indeed. He is my employer but that is neither here nor there. I am afraid that there was no one else in Aimé’s estate I could speak too who would give me a chance to speak. Your brother made it dreadfully clear he would behead someone who seemed to be sent from Majerus’ estate—”  
“MY BROTHER WOULD DO NO SUCH THING!” The woman raised an eyebrow.  
“…He would be a fool not too.” Papyrus had no response for how coldly she spoke. “I am not fond of monsters, Papyrus. Not because you are different. Not because you come from a mountain you were sealed away in and not because you will change the way the world works. I am not fond of you because your monarchy hides behind a child who is put in the front lines of the dirty work needed to be done to secure your place amongst humans.”  
  
For the first time, the woman showed emotion upon her face and it was nothing short of disgust. “But even in the face of that, I know right from wrong. And I know very well what Majerus plans to do is nothing short of sinful.”  
“…AND JUST WHAT DOES HE PLAN TO DO…?” The woman fell silent and sighed after much deliberation. With a smiling face, their waiter reemerged and set down their food, oblivious to the tension that surrounded the two. If anything, he was more interested in the fact that a 6 foot something skeleton was able to digest food. Even as he parted from them, the woman seemed to be lost in thought. Though she did her best to hide it, Papyrus wasn’t ignorant to the internal struggle that went on within her.  
  
“Exactly? I do not know.” It was the truth. “I lost his trust when I spoke against him putting the child through any harm. But what I do know? He need Frisk and he will not hesitate to rake her through the coals to get what he needs from her.” He looked down at the woman as she moved to eat. There was sincerity in her words but there was also something else he couldn’t quite lay a finger on.  
“…IT IS HARD TO TRUST WORDS FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS NO NAME, HUMAN.” She looked up and blinked at him.  
“Yvea.”  
“WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME ALL OF THIS, YVEA?” Green irises locked with his pin lights.

“Because children shouldn’t have to suffer to move the world forward.”

* * *

She was quick to leave the moment they left the café. He had an inkling that the woman wasn’t even supposed to be off of Majerus’ estate but that was the least of his worries. The moment he returned home; Papyrus made his way to his brother. He was unsurprised and unamused at the sight of him torturing Undyne and Frisk with his antics.  
  
“No one’s going to die to night, Undyne… We don’t need more armed guards.”  
“Listen punk, you’re the one who said we had to be prepared for anything!”  
“She’s right kid.” Frisk looked up at Sans with a heated glare knowing fully well where this was going. “After all a funeral is a grave affair.” Undyne growled at the skeleton while the child scowled.  
“Seriously, Sans?”  
“Hey, I’ve always been known for my killer puns.”  
Undyne and Papyrus screeched in unison giving away the younger skeleton’s presence. “SANS WILL YOU BE SERIOUS?”  
“Corpses aren’t a funny matter bro, they’re dead serious—”  
  
The sound of Frisk slamming her hands down on the desk made the monsters jump. Standing up out of her chair, she snatched Sans’ tie and brought his face to his level.  
“Gentle kid—!”  
“I have had to listen to your puns for a solid **three hours** trying to get work done! **S T O P**.” Sweat fell down his skull and he chuckled nervously.  
“Aww come on kid. My skeleton puns are very humerous.” She never thought she would find a moment where she agreed with the ex-Captain’s antics, but right now, she couldn’t make the order fast enough. Frisk released the skeleton and moved to sit back down only to look up with her signature face of neutral displeasure.  
  
“He's all yours, Undyne. Knock yourself out. Just don't get dust on my desk.” Frisk had a hard time recalling when a order made Undyne as happy as her's did in that moment.   
“Fuck yes!” The fish woman took out a spear and threw it towards the monster, unfazed when he teleported out of the way.  
“SANS! UNDYNE! STOP–" Papyrus paused when his brother appeared in front of him and winked.  
“Hold on.”  
  
Papyrus had to admit that at times he really despised Sans’ ability to teleport at will. This time was no exception. Papyrus quickly found himself sitting upon a couch in the opposite side of the manor with his brother next to him. Without a care in the world Sans sat with his legs crossed and eyes closed as he rested his head over the back of the couch. “Sup, bro?” The amount of hand gestures he made at his brother and noises of frustration did no justice in showing his utter frustration. In the end, he settled for a rather exasperated look as he scowled him.  
  
“DID YOU REALLY FIND IT NECESSARY TO ANNOY HER FOR THREE HOURS STRAIGHT? YOU KNOW HOW IMPORTANT TODAY IS!”  
“Yup. That’s why I did it.” Opening one eye to peer at his brother, Sans shrugged. “The amount of stream the kid was collecting with the different annoyances that popped up to day was about to make her pop. I can dodge what ever she dishes out. A human? They would have no chance.” He refused to acknowledge this truth.  
“NEVERTHELESS, YOU NEED TO APOLOGIZE.”  
“I will. How did your trip go?”  
  
Hypocrisy was easy to call a person out on. Yet on the flip side, it always seemed so hard to stop oneself from falling into its ways. Papyrus wasn’t a good liar. He couldn’t look at someone and purposely lie to them without a reason but as he spoke to his brother, he remembered one Yvea’s words.  
  
 _“He would be a fool not too…”_  
  
Papyrus knew of his brother’s fears when it came to Majerus. He knew very well that the human’s plans could very well make the groundwork for another reset. That fear brought about the very core instinct to survive and with the need to survive came the need to do whatever was possible. The more his brother opened up to him, the more Papyrus realized that although he knew Sans, he was hardly predicable as he once believed. If he told him about Yvea there was very good chance that he would go to validate the threat on his own. Or get rid of the chance of there being one outside of Majerus…  
  
“Bro?”  
Papyrus snapped too and cleared his throat. “EXCUSE ME, BROTHER. I WAS OCCUPIED WITH MY THOUGHTS.”  
“You? Distracted? The sky must be falling.” Papyrus rolled his eyes. “I asked you what you did after you made sure everything was fine. Its not like you to take long to come back.” It was hard to lie purposelessly for Papyrus… But it was not hard to lie when he had a reason to do so. Especially when it meant keeping the peace. Grinning widely, he answered.  
“I FINALLY WENT TO THE ITALIAN CAFE WE PASSED IN THE CITY LAST TIME WE WENT TO VISIT! THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO AND I COULDN’T PASS IT UP!”

Sans snorted and shook his head. “Why am I not surprised…?”  
“YOU WOULD DO WELL TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HUMAN CULTURE BROTHER! PASTA IS VERY IMPORTANT.” The shorter skeleton chuckled and rose before brushing off his pants.  
“How about I get to that after the party huh?”  
“I WILL HOLD YOU TO IT!” Papyrus smiled at his brother as he was winked at and watched him walk out of the room. It wasn’t until Sans was completely gone that Papyrus allowed his smile to drop some. If possible, things just got a little more complicated.

* * *

Aimé took his time walking to the child’s room. Her parents had made a point in welcoming the guest along sides him until they were all present. No one was surprised that Frisk wasn’t welcoming them into the manor, after all she was the guest of honor. Protocol dictated that she would be presented when everyone was present. It was very clear from the get go that the other ambassadors where both impressed and slightly horrified at Undyne’s control over the security in the building. The woman made sure that everyone, from the ambassadors, to the servants and even the delivery men were accounted for. There were a few who took issue with her commands to be accounted for however with the simple baring of her fangs the moment they got out of hand, they settled. If anything, he was rather impressed at how stoic and composed the woman remained.  
  
He looked up when he noticed two figures standing outside of the door and chuckled. “Did the servants kick you two out?” Sans shrugged.  
“Hell have no fury like a maid with the opportunity to play dress up.”  
“INDEED! THE HUMANS WERE NOT HAPPY WHEN WE TIRED TO TELL THEM WE NEEDED TO REMAIN CLOSE!” Aimé shook his head.  
“I can’t wait to hear the noise when they try to put her in a dress…” It was Sans’ turn to laugh at this and Papyrus snorted in kind.  
“UNFORTUNATELY YOU HAVE MISSED THAT…COMMOTION ALREADY, MONSIEUR.”  
“Was it that bad?” Once more the brother’s exchanged snickers. They went on to explain the utter hell they heard Frisk put the maids through when they suggested wearing a dress. It only escalated when they presented her with a pink one. Before they could finish recounting the tale, the door swung open and out stepped the child in question.  
  
The suit was no surprise but the level of its elegance was a far cry from her normal one. Still black in color, it was a strong contrast from the ribbon like double bow around her neck. The second layer was a simple dark grey color while the more visible ribbon was a lighter shade, decorated with a sophisticated embroidery. Normally she would sport a simple collar shirt but, determined to make the child where something with even a little frill, the maids had managed to get her in a white ruffle collar shirt that came to rest just under her chin. Try as she might before she exited the room, the frills at the end of her sleeves refused to stay under her suit jacket’s own sleeves. In the end they came out, covering most of her hand though they stayed mostly out of her way. In her time at the manor, the child’s hair had made its way down her back and though she allowed it to do as it wished, the maids would not have it. In the end, they tamed the wild black locks to rest pin straight with a razor end to match her bangs.  
  
Frisk looked up with a pout and crossed her arms over her chest as she looked at the skeleton brothers. “Protectors my butt…”  
“Makeovers don’t count as bodily harm, kid.”  
“I change my mind, Papyrus is my favorite.” She ignored the laughter from the taller skeleton and looked at Aimé. “Is it time?” He nodded and gestured for the group to follow. The group was led through the manor to the dining hall where the other ambassador’s congregated waiting for the child’s appearance. Aimé entered first as Frisk waited in the doorway to be introduced.  
  
“My friends! First, I want to thank you all for taking the time to join us in this celebration. Today is more than just a celebration of one’s birth but a celebration of the unification between monsters and humans.” They applauded but Frisk rolled her eyes grateful that she was still behind the doors as he spoke. Though they applauded she knew not everyone agreed. “But you are not here to see my old face.” She tossed the skelebros a face that caused them to chuckle themselves as the people in the room let out a respectable laugh.  
“Focus, kid.”  
She didn’t respond and instead turned forwards before schooling her expression. “It has been my great honor, with the help of the King and Queen to nurture the growth of our youngest ambassador and the heir to the throne of monsters. I present, our birthday princess, Frisk Dreemurr.”  
  
She entered on cue without a moment to spare. Those who hadn’t the pleasure of seeing her ‘guards’ gasped but the rest took the moment to size the child up. And yet the scrutiny that they put her under didn’t make her bat even an eyelid. Her parents rested on the sides of Aimé and when she approached, he moved to the side to give her the floor. For a moment, the little girl kept up her neutral disposition before smiling brightly and giving a soft laughter. “Do not stop on my accord! I held you from dinner long enough!” One of the ambassadors raised his scoffed loudly and playfully.  
“Indeed! A growing girl has to eat!”  
“Oh hush, you old fool. You’re only thinking of your stomach.” The men laughed and even though the surface banter was annoying, she too laughed politely.  
“Come! Let us sit.”  
  
From the moment Aimé told her about the sitting arrangement, she found herself filled with anxiety. Although he was the head of the household, it was her birthday and the men where her guest. It made sense that because of this she sat at the head of the table with Aimé at her right hand side and her father at her left. He mother sat beside her father and across from her, most likely dressed up against his will in a suit, rested her brother. After the royal family, the ambassadors sat at will and that’s where the problem came in. It wasn’t the fact itself that she had to sit at one end that irritated her. It was the fact that what she had feared became very much a reality when she found herself looking down the dining table straight at Majerus. Even with the other ambassadors separating them, the mere sight of him made her sick.  
  
The skelebros didn’t move away from her. Sans remained on her right side while Papyrus stood to her left side. She didn’t acknowledge them nor say anything about their presence until an ambassador spoke up. “Come now, child! You do not need your guards by your side for dinner! What is going to happen, death by salad?” Frisk turned her head to respond but was quickly cut off as Majerus spoke before her.  
“Now, now, Fredrick. She has a name.” It took everything in her not to turn a steeled look at the man. “Don’t you, Frisk?”  
  
She looked at him with the smile still on her face before turning back to the ambassador he spoke up previously. “Please, call me Frisk! As for my guards…” She allowed the mischievousness to show through in her expression as she spoke on. “As a fellow human and a ambassador, you know very well that threats are around every corner! How bleak would it be to die on my tenth birthday? ‘Here lies Frisk. Death by salad!’” The men laughed and a group of servants approached to place down a plate of food in in front of each seat. “Besides, my people wish only for me to be protected. I would not worry my mother and father by dismissing them.”  
  
Another ambassador nodded approvingly. “Its hard to believe that this well-mannered child is the same one who fought us so viciously in the previous council meetings.”  
“I do not fight. I only seek solutions.”  
“Ah, fighting is how you get solutions. You still have much to learn.” Frisk lowered her eyes, a sign of respect, as she dug her fork into her food.  
“I respectfully disagree, sir.”  
“Oh? Oh, what bases?” The child looked up and grinned at him.  
  
“Seeking solutions and not wars allowed me to not only get through the barrier but capture the hearts of the monsters within the mountain. Had I sought war; I would not hold the power I do now. The means of securing power is just as important as the power itself.” Batting her eyelashes, she turned her gaze to Majerus. “Don’t you agree, Monsieur?” He did his best not to show it, but she could see the older man gritting his teeth behind his lips. She could play the game of subtle jabs as well. It didn’t help that the other ambassadors laughed along.  
  
“Frisk.” Frisk looked up as she was addressed. “Although we are aware of your mother and father, I am afraid some of us didn’t have the opportunity to meet… the monster in front of your mother.” Frisk placed her fork down and gestured towards Asriel who sat with a smirk upon his face. He never looked up from eating as if he wasn’t even spoken of.   
“Oh him? That’s my brother, Prince Asriel Dreemurr.” Well that got their attention. The dining hall went from mild conversation to a uproar of curious, cautious and downright accusatory questions.  
“A prince?!”  
“They have a son?”  
“How are you to be the princess if they already have a heir?”  
“I TOLD YOU! THEY GET A HUMAN IN AND THEN NEXT THING YOU KNOW THEY TAKE OVER!” Asriel personally snorted at this one but it went mostly unnoticed.  
“How come we’ve never seen him until now?!”  
“What—”  
  
All questions came to a halt as the skeleton brothers reached out and placed a hand on the back of the child’s chair. The motion caught their attention quickly but not as quickly as the unnatural glow that came from Sans’ eye. Frisk leaned back in her chair with her smile in place. “Oh dear. I didn’t expect such a undignified uproar.” Some of the ambassadors had the nerve to actually look ashamed while the others looked away unwilling to admit their behavior was unbecoming. “Now if you don’t mind, please eat. I can answer questions orderly and eat at once.” The ambassadors were not quick to relax until Sans’ eye returned to normal and the brothers fell back into place.  
  
“Asriel hasn’t taken an active role in ruling in years. By the time I was adopted, he was prince merely in title alone. Mother and Father had no intention of passing the throne to him and so, I decided that when we came to the surface, I would seek their blessing to take it when I am of age.” Majerus scowled deeply.  
“You are a girl.” Frisk turned her eyes towards him and chuckled gently.  
“I am aware!” This got a rise out of the other leaders but he did not back down.  
“No one in their right mind would pass a throne down to a little girl when they already have a son.” Frisk moved to speak but her father placed a hand out and stopped her from speaking.  
  
Asgore looked at Majerus but the normal gentle disposition he held was not in place as he addressed him. “Do you suggest that my heir is less than acceptable, Monsieur Majerus…?” She was quick to pick up her glass of water and take a drink in order to cover the smile that crept up on her lips.  
“I suggest that choosing an adopted child over a groomed heir is utter nonsense.”  
“I supposed that would be true in a human monarch but, we are not human. A child of or monarchy who wishes for the throne usually has to fight for it in one way or the other if challenged.”  
Majerus narrowed his eyes as the other ambassadors suddenly became more interested than before at the line of conversation.  
  
“And?”  
  
“And she beat me fair and square.” All eyes turned to Asriel who grinned at his little sister. “Super Omega and all.” Frisk pursed her lips, holding back the chuckle that threatened to break through.  
“Bullshit!” Everyone’s head snapped in Majerus’ direction and he openly glared at the child without restraint. Unable to help it, Frisk relaxed a smile on her lips.  
“Language…” She mumbled, mockingly aghast. From the corner of her eye she could see Papyrus’ smile grow just a inch in amusement but his head shake disapprovingly. Sans simply went still to refrain from both chuckling at her and going off at Majerus.  
“I refuse to believe that this child is able of defeating a centuries old monster! This is madness!” She could feel her guard dog’s patience for the man failing but before she had a chance to speak up, another did for her.  
  
“Then believe it from the mouth of a man who never though he would see a child move with the speed of the same monsters who took her in.” The room’s gaze shifted to Aimé who looked at Majerus with the same open disdain that the man threw Frisk’s way. “I have witnessed the child’s ability to deal with threats herself. She does not move or fight as a human does. She goes for her opponents exactly how you would expect.” He looked at her briefly but she nodded knowing exactly where he was going next. “She fights like a monster. We should not forget that though she is a human and a little girl that this child has done what no one else has accomplished.”  
  
Before he could continue, Frisk rose out of her seat and turned her smile down to him. “Father, Asriel, Aimé, please. I am capable of speaking for myself.” She looked down the table gently and folded her hands in front of her. “In the human world, there is a saying: ‘Survival of the fittest.’ There is one similar in the monster world I grew acquainted to.” For the first time since the dinner began the child’s demeanor changed as the smile fell off of her face. “In the underground its kill or be killed.” There was a sudden shift in the air around her family as they remembered each time, they took the child’s life—some memories clearer for others… “Never in my time in the underground did I take a life or was I pushed to fight in such a way.” Genocide time lines not withstanding...  
  
Her eyes locked on to Majerus’. “But that doesn’t mean I didn’t learn to defend myself when needed. A race needs a leader who can surpass every challenge and rise. My brother could not do this. My parents in this world cannot do this but I can. And to secure their future I made sure I rose to the plate in order to make sure we survive.”  
“But you are just a…” She turned her head to the ambassador who spoke up feebly.  
“A child? Mary, Queen of Scots. Tutankhamen. Emperor Elagabalus. Fulin, the Shunzhi Emperor. All of these people took over the thrones of their kingdoms as children.” Her smile returned, like a mother waiting for a child to pick up the plot. “Is it really that strange that I am carrying on a human tradition of inheriting a throne?” There was no argument.  
  
“I did not call you all to fight amongst ourselves this day. As Aimé stated, I invited you all to not only celebrate the day of my birth but to lay out the ground work so that we may work together for a brighter future. Not only for monsters, but for mankind as well.” She reached out and took her glass before holding it up and smiling brightly. “To the unity of our races.” Without hesitation a hand full of people (her family notwithstanding) raised their glasses while the rest did so hesitantly. “Now let us finish our meal. We don’t want to be here for my eleventh birthday, do we?”  
  
It was easier to frown than it was to smile. Frowning showed that someone was getting under your skin while smiling gave you the protection of keeping your emotions hidden underneath. When you smiled so much and allowed the smile to fall even if just for a second, you were taken more seriously than those who merely frowned at every inconvenience. Aimé taught her everything she needed to know about stepping through the hoops of conversation when it came to the ambassadors but when it came to this, Sans was the only teacher she needed.  
  
Dinner continued on without a hitch and once the plates were moved from in front of the guest, they rose to congregate amongst themselves as they got ready for the cake. Frisk stood with the skeletons talking and laughing along with some of the ambassadors when she turned at the sound of her name. “Frisk, a moment.” It took everything not to sigh at the voice that called upon her. Majerus’ face was controlled once more and she nodded at his request. She took note of the woman who stood besides him but thought nothing more of it.  
  
“Of course.”  
“Alone.”  
This time she didn’t bother to hide her exasperation. “Monsieur you know I will not leave the company of my guard.”  
“Then perhaps you can live with one less, hmm? Specifically, the one who was not present during our last conversation.” She raised a eyebrow.  
“Does that go both ways?”  
“If it must.” The man turned to his maid and gestured for her to leave and once she was away from him, Frisk looked at Papyrus.  
  
“We’ll be back in a moment Pap.” Something caught his eye but she didn’t have the time to figure out what.  
“VERY WELL HUMAN!” Papyrus exchanged looks with his brother and watched them walk off before moving to seek out his new acquaintance.  
  
Yvea stopped in a quiet corner where she was sure the monster would be able to find her. It didn’t take long before she was face to face with the skeleton and she nodded a silent greeting. “Papyrus.”  
“I DID NOT THINK YOU WOULD BE HERE, YVEA. I THOUGHT YOU SAID HE LOST TRUST IN YOU.” Her neutral expression broke and she leered at him.  
“Are you always stuck at a yelling setting? Speaking so loud can put people at risk.” Blinking at the realization, Papyrus frowned and fell into thought. “Regardless, you are as surprised as I am… I was sure he would attempt something but—Ah!”  
  
She looked on at him shocked when the skeleton took her hand and proceeded to make his way through the ball room. For someone so tall, he managed to stay just out of the attention of the mingling guest. “Papyrus, where…?!” Yvea fell silent as he gave her a look to hold her tongue and within a moment’s time, she found herself in hallway in with the unnatural skeleton. He released her hand and she frowned. “Why did you bring me here?”  
“YOU ARE CORRECT IN STATING THAT I AM TOO LOUD AT TIMES. YET IT IS LESS NOTICEABLE TO SEE ME ABSENT FOR A MOMENT THEN IN A ROOM BEING QUIET. FRISK WOULD NOTICE QUICKER THAN THE REST.” Yvea blinked and to his surprised she chuckled under her breath.  
“It seems that I have given you too little credit.”  
“IT HAPPENS OFTEN. DO NOT LINGER UPON IT, WE HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DISCUSS. “  
“Such as?” Papyrus crossed his arms over his chest.  
“MAJERUS IS BECOMING BOLDER IN HIS WORDS AGAINST FRISK…”  
“Aye. Tonight, he was expecting her to come to him and give in to working together. When it became very clear that she would not I believe he sought to make her lose face.” She seemed to fidget. There was attempt to hide the gesture from him.  
  
Papyrus wanted nothing more than to trust the woman fully. It was hard not to when he knew that she was putting herself at risk but speaking to him and attempting to give them a warning. But he wasn’t naïve; he knew very well that she could be just as nervous at the prospect of getting caught and punished by the hands of the monsters. Papyrus closed his eyes and steeled himself for what he was about to do. Trust came easily to him. It always had… No matter how many times he was cut down for trusting people, no matter how his instincts screamed at him to distrust people he always gave them the benefit of he doubts. This time there was more than just the breaking of the barrier at stake. He couldn’t leave this up to instinct least he possibly leaves his brother alone to mourn his loss again. Never. Again.  
  
“I WANT TO TRUST YOU, YVEA… TRULY I DO…”  
“But you don’t.” The smile he gave her was apologetic.  
“I’D BE A FOOL TO DO SO.” She blinked and scoffed in light amusement as he remembered her words.  
“I don’t know what I can do to prove my truth worthiness.”  
“I DO.”  
  
She looked up and just as she did, she witnessed a skeletal hand rushing towards her chest. This was it… She was going to die. Yvea had known that there was always a chance when dealing with these creatures that she would end up dead. Even if they did believe her, there was always the possibility that Majerus would find out and take her out. Yet she didn’t care… Regardless of how she died, she knew she spread the warning that Majerus planned to go after Frisk. They would protect her. She knew it. Yvea flinched as she waited for pain to hit her but instead, she found a warmth envelope her and a feeling of security wrap around her. She waited a full moment before opening her eyes and when she did the sight that greeted her caused her to look on in awe. In front of her chest rested a yellow heart shape that glow brightly in the darkened hall.  
  
Papyrus smiled happily at the sight happy and satisfied at what he saw. “YELLOW FOR JUSTICE. YOU SEEK TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT REGARDLESS OF THE CONSEQUENCES.” Yvea reached out to touch the soul only to watch on as it began to fade back into her chest. “A SOUL TELLS MORE ABOUT A HUMAN THAN EVEN A HUMAN KNOWS ABOUT THEMSELVES, YVEA. AND BECAUSE OF THAT I TRUST YOU ARE ON OUR SIDE.” Her eyes softened and she looked up at the skeleton.  
  
“I... There is something you should know, Papyrus.”

* * *

“I am disappointed that you have not responded to my offer still, Frisk.” Frisk hummed under her breath and shook her head.  
“I was very clear that I want nothing to do with this, Monsieur. I cannot see how this will benefit my people.” He scowled at her but toned it down just a bit when Sans returned the gesture from behind her.  
“Dammit girl! Think of the bigger picture! This is your last chance and yet you throw it away because everything isn’t set in stone?!”  
  
Frisk closed her eyes. “If you could complete ensure that this wouldn’t affect my monsters in any way whatsoever then I would consider it.”  
“You know damn well I can’t do that, girl.”  
She opened her eyes and shot him a glare. “Then you cannot have my support.”  
“Don’t be so stubborn, you ignorant thing!” He ignored the growl that came from Sans and released a sound of frustration. “I swear to the gods you are just like—”  
  
“Like who, Majerus?” The question was asked innocently enough but internally she fought the need to interject her mother’s name. She didn’t get the chance as he backtracked.  
“Like all the others.”  
  
Frisk closed her eyes again and counted to five. She did her best to calm herself in the face of one of the few people who got under her skin. When she reopened them, she had only calmed slightly. It did not show in her face but in the fire that made its way through her eyes. “Do you mean to declare war against me?” He looked absolutely taken aback.  
“What?”  
“Do you mean to declare war against me because I will not agree?”  
“I did not state such a thing.”  
“You imply it, heavily. And you fail to realize I am not alone any more. An alliance has been struck between myself and Aimé. You cross me, you cross the monsters and his soldiers as well.” He gritted his teeth.  
“You wouldn’t dare raise arms against me—”  
  
One moment she was standing a foot or so apart and the next she was in front of him. Unlike the skeleton, she did not teleport but simply move. Faster than he had seen another move before. “Monsieur?” Frisk gave him a sympathy smile but he knew it was anything but. “I did not walk out of the depths of hell…” Her ruby eyes glistened in anger at the threat the man presented and within she felt her LOVE react. “I clawed my way out. There is nothing I wouldn’t dare to do. This is your final warning; I want nothing to do with you or your damn plan. If you keep pushing this subject I will see it as a underlying threat and relinquish the information to the other council members in turn.”  
"Are you that eager to start a war?" She raised a eyebrow.  
"I am never eager to start a fight. But I will finish one if I must. You have made your position clear and I have as well." Frisk turned on her heels. "Now, please, enjoy the party. I have guest to attend to." Sans waited for the child to walk off first before moving to walk behind her. He didn't trust having her back turned towards the human and even though Majerus made no attempt to say otherwise it was clear where they all stood. No more tip toeing around the words. No more waiting for to see each other's cards. He knew very well that the next time he saw the human it would be with the intent to strike him down. The two walked towards Papyrus while the monster waved towards her and grinned oblivious to what took place.   
  
He watched her walk away and as she disappeared into the crowd of ambassadors that sought her attention he frowned deeply. He had tried… This time he had tried so hard to prevent the inevitable. But she was just like her. He stared at the little girl with saddened and frustrated eyes unable to stop himself from picturing her mother in her place. “You were a good girl, Frikka…” He whispered softly.  
“Monsieur?”  
“Come, we will take our leave.” The maid hesitated but it did not slip pass him. "She had her chance. She made her decision. There is nothing more I can do." Yvea made a fist and forced herself to remain quiet as she schooled herself once more and nodded obediently.  
"Yes, Monsieur..." She moved to follow the man as he made his way towards the door. With one last glance to the child, he moved to put his plan into action.  
  
‘Shame you are such a shit ruler.’


	20. Iron (Party time Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAVE YOU FOLLOWED THIS STORY FOR TWENTY FUCKING CHAPTERS?! Man ily.  
> I love you so much there is a gift from me in this chapter. So take my love. 
> 
> Also there is a semi important note at the end. 
> 
> K? Gucci Coochie. 
> 
> Iron by Woodkid  
> Can we talk about how fucking weird my playlist is? Nah? Alright.

“Why did you lie?” Frisk looked up at Sans and hummed in confusion. “About fighting Asriel for the throne. You know as well as I do that after everything, he’s been through the last thing he wants is to succeed Toriel and Asgore to lead. He willingly gave it up when asked if he wanted it again, he did not fight.”  
“INDEED HUMAN! I WAS QUITE CONFUSED AS WELL WHEN THE KING AND QUEEN WENT ALONG WITH YOUR FALSEHOOD.” The little girl chuckled closed her eyes. She sat in a chair, much too big for her as usually, looking over the others as they congregated and conversed amongst themselves.  
  
“I did it because it set a narrative. How willing do you think these men would be when it came to working with me if they knew that Asriel could very well indeed rule? That the only reason he doesn’t is because he doesn’t want to?” Her eyes turned to her brother who stood by their parent’s side, doing his best to appear interested. “These men are more willing to talk to a man. Whether that man is a monster or a human it doesn’t matter. Having to deal with a little girl who is on their level is insulting.” She paused. “It isn’t a complete falsehood, Papyrus. I did fight and defeat Asriel multiple times but you just don’t remember it.” The little girl ignored the taller skeleton’s nervous shuffle and continued on. “But you remember, don’t you Sans?” There was no response and that was fine. Frisk didn’t need one.  
  
“By saying that I defeated Asriel, I have effectively crushed any idea that he will take the reins. As well, the notion that he holds more power over me has also been over turned.” Sans closed his eyes and huffed.  
“That’s why Asgore and Azzy boy were so quick to go with it. Heh, smart kid.”  
“Yup. I had spoken to papa and Azzy long before the party began. We have our story straight.”  
“And Aimé’s comment?” To this, the little girl broke her façade and stuck her tongue out childishly.  
“A happy coincidence.” Papyrus shook his head at her boldness while his brother had the nerve to look overtly proud. She didn’t give them a chance to make quips about it though for she turned her head back to the guest and frowned.  
  
“Where are the men who work with Majerus, Papyrus?” Papyrus jumped to attention and after some fumbling took out a small notepad from his suit pocket. Frisk couldn’t help but chuckle at his preparedness. “Why can’t you be as organized as your brother, Sans?” The older skeleton rolled his eyes but Papyrus paid no mind to the exchange.  
“THE MEN WITH CONNECTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS: AMBASSADOR DOCTOR ADALARD HAHN. AMBASSADOR HEINRICK WEBER, AMBASSADOR JONAS ARCHAMBEAU AND AMBASSADOR BASTIEN CARON.”  
“Are they all present?” Papyrus looked up and quickly scanned through the crowd before frown.  
“NO. THERE ARE THREE OUT OF THE FIVE HERE. AMBASSADOR ARCHAMBEAU DID NOT ATTEND.”  
  
Frisk frowned. “Who else is absent?”  
“I BELIEVE ALL THE OTHERS ARE COUNTED FOR BY UNDYNE AND MYSELF ONCE MORE DURING DINNER.”  
“Then why is my count off by one, Papy…?” Now alerted, the skeletons proceeded to do a quick head count but before they could come to a conclusion they were interrupted.  
  
“It is a question I was going to address to you myself, little one.” Frisk met Aimé’s eyes and inclined her head. “But I know who is missing. Just not where they had gone to.” Unable to help it, Frisk scowled.  
“Majerus.”  
“Indeed. Do you know where he has gone off too?” She shook her head. In order to save face in front of the other ambassadors, she really did believe that Majerus would have stayed to see the party through. Undyne had eyes on the entire manor and thus she was not concerned about him sneaking into a place he shouldn’t be. But that would be almost a bit more preferable to the fact that losing face no longer worried him. He no longer cared what the other ambassadors thought when it came to the child but he wasn’t dumb. If he was willing to reveal something like that it meant that he had other cards close to his chest.  
  
Sans appeared more relaxed with the news of Majerus’ departure but she was quite the opposite. After shooting him a look, Frisk turned to Aimé. “Dunno. He was here just a moment ago I think.” Huffing, Frisk crossed her legs and her arms over her chest. “He made good on his promise to give me until my birthday to respond in kind to his offer. He was most unpleased when I denied him again.” Aimé was quick to take out his phone and search through it.  
  
“Undyne hasn’t reported anything from her side. Not a single text.” Locking the phone, he put it away once more. “I do hope he left without inciting anything.” Frisk moved to respond only to be swiftly cut off.  
“What an astute conversation. Perhaps its best left for when the room isn’t filled with multiple possible threats.” Frisk narrowed her eyes up at Sans but couldn’t deny the need to hold the conversation off. “If the human’s only reason for attending to night was to make good on his promise to check and see if you would change his mind then that’s one less thing to worry about. We have the other’s in the manor tonight. Three men who are undoubtably deep within Majerus’ pocket.” As Aimé and Papyrus exchanged looks of worry, the judge kept his eyes on his charge. “So, what’s the plan, kid?”  
  
Frisk frowned and uncrossed her arms and legs before standing up. The frown only lasted a moment longer before it was replaced with her fake and cheer smile. The tone in which she gave her orders did not change. “How many times do I need to remind you that it is rude to ask questions you know the answer to?” Papyrus and Aimé looked on in confusion but Sans only released a gruff chuckle in response. “The plan hasn’t changed. Tonight, I very much intend to weed out friend from foe and if their souls need to be laid bare before me to do so then so be it.”   
  
Aimé cleared his throat to gain their attention. “Then it would be just as well to mingle with the others. There is still sometime before the cake is served and the present ceremony beginnings. I know there are many to go over but it would be in your best interest to start with those invest in Majerus.” Frisk nodded towards him as her mentor politely excused himself. She made the same gesture towards the brothers and soon the three found themselves walking off. The smile remained even when she spoke lowly.  
  
“Sans, whose love has increased…?”  
“All of them have.” The news shocked her but she did well not to drop her smile. It hadn’t been that long since the little girl spoke to her dog about the ambassador’s LOVE. What were they involved in that caused their levels to rise so quickly?  
“Can you tell me by how much?”  
“Not from here.” He tapped just under his eye and the message was received. After all, it was awfully hard to hide a skeleton looking at someone with a glowing blue eye. So, she looked around the room, seeking out the ambassadors and their locations. It wasn’t until she noticed her parents standing near someone that she made her move.  
  
Asgore knew this night was important. Where his wife was more hesitant to let things play out as they were meant to in order to allow Frisk to gain what she needed, he was not. That did not mean that he was not willing to speak up if his child was insulted; better him than Toriel. The very moment Majerus sought to suggest that his daughter was not worth the throne she would inherit he felt his anger rose. He had been warned and prepped beforehand along with Toriel about the man’s toxicity. It was more for Toriel’s benefit than his own, really. And yet once in front of him all he could do was fight down the growing need to protect his children. For he felt the same dread he had for the future when Chara took her last breaths.  
  
“I believe Asriel would say that your ‘Toriel’ is showing.” The king snapped out of his thoughts and turned soft eyes to his wife as she chuckled at him.  
“Forgive me, Tori. I was just recounting the conversation that took place at dinner.” Toriel pursed her lips.  
“As am I… I thank you for speaking up for our little one when you did.” She squeezed his arm and in return, he patted her hand. “I did not understand what Frisk meant when she told me that he had no good intentions until he was before us.” She paused. “I didn’t want to admit it but it is hard to deny the harm he will bring to her. I fear—”  
“Your ‘Toriel’ is showing.”  
  
The queen paused, but once she realized what he said she laughed and slapped his arm gently. “Having harm brought to Frisk is a constant worry of mine, my dear. I may not show it as openly as most but it something that is always on the forefront of my mind. But I know more harm will come if I step in blindly and disrupt whatever flow she is establishing. Our child is wiser than her years. Until we are called upon to fight at her side all we can do is allow her to move us as she needs.” Toriel was given no time to reply as the two found themselves called upon.  
  
“Your Majesty.” The two turned when addressed only to look upon the face of one of the guests. The human was a face he had seen before in the early days of speaking to the council in tandem with his daughter. Neither Asgore nor Toriel remembered his name but he did remember agreeing with his daughter that while not necessarily corrupt, the human wasn’t forth coming either. “Forgive me for interrupting your time with the queen. I hope I am not intruding.” Asgore smiled and inclined his head politely. Toriel did the same however the light squeeze she administered to his arm told him she had the same feeling about the human before them.  
  
“Not at all. I remember your face but unfortunately, I do not remember a name to go with it. My apologies.”  
“None taken. I am an old acquaintance of Aimé but you have seen me work closely with the ambassadors attempting to coordinate a distribution of land with monsters. I was wondering if you had a moment to speak.” His avoidance of giving his name did not go unnoticed by either monster. Toriel raised an eyebrow while her husband spoke on.  
“Ah, I do recall a few particular discussions we have had. Thank you for attending.”  
“Think nothing of it! Tis expected of us after all. How else would we show solidarity for your heir’s efforts at equaling the playing field?”  
  
Asgore steeled himself to stop his smile from falling and raised his hand to place over the queen’s. Without looking at her, he knew that Toriel wished to demand the human’s intentions. Yet doing so would do nothing but cause more trouble. Patting her hand in slight comfort, he responded. “Certainly. Leveling the playing field ensures that when it comes to draw hard lines between allies we know where we stand, who gets our protection and who does not.” The human clearly did not expect such an answer. “Afterall, such things are more important when you are the actual leaders of a nation no matter how small in comparison to just being a figure head with no real power.” He could sense the human’s agitation underneath his smile. “I do not envy the ambassadors. Although you can sway your leaders ears you still must listen despite what is right or wrong. I am grateful that my child has the power to do exactly as she wishes.”  
  
The human couldn’t help the look of confusion that came over him. “I know that Monsieur Majerus struck a chord when he stated such a thing, and I mean no harm in doing so, but she is still a child. Surely she answers directly to you.” The king shook his head.  
“We all have our roles to play. My queen and I continue to oversee our people. Conflict between our own kind has not stopped just because we have surfaced. If anything, doing so means we must guide our people more closely. Frisk governs the dealings with humans not because she is human but because there is no one else better suited to do so with the idea of how her mother and I would act in term.” It was very clear to him that the idea of the child having that much power unsettled the human and just as expected he voiced it.  
  
“Forgive me your majesty but allowing a child to have that much power is outrageous. Surely she could surpass you if she played her cards right.” The straight face the king held broke at his words and Asgore laughed besides himself. Humans were so short sighted at times.  
“I do believe you are mistaken. We may not have our own council as you do but we do possess a means of checks and balances.”  
“In what manner?”  
  
“In the manner of a Judge.”  
  
Sans’ voice broke through and gained their attention as Frisk walked up to them. Asgore smiled brightly at his daughter and Toriel fought the need to embrace her within her arms. The little girl hummed and shook her head in dismay. “Are we really speaking politics again? I thought we were to enjoy the party after the conversation at dinner.” The human eyed the skeletons nervously and though Sans kept his eyes closed even when he approached, he took notice.  
“Ah. Forgive us, little one. One of our guests sought to speak to your mother and I and we found or conversation shifting to this.” Looking at the man, Asgore raised an eyebrow. “Speaking of, we never caught your name.” The man laughed but it did not reach his eyes.  
“Where are my manners? I am—”  
  
“Doctor Adalard Hahn.” Hahn jumped at the sound of his name rolling off of Frisk’s lips and turned to her quickly. “I remember you… You spoke ill of allowing monsters passes into foreign nations due to the possible biological pandemics they could have possibly cause. The last time we spoke you were petitioning for segregation before the idea of such a bill fell flat.” The doctor turned red at her monotoned introduction of him and under the gaze of the monsters he flustered. “If I remember correctly… You were staunchly aligned with Monsieur Majerus’ points until recently…”  
“I-! Well…-!”  
  
Frisk raised her hand to her lips and giggled gently. “Do not fret, doctor! I understand your reasons for taking such stances. After all, a man of science must be inclined to put the safety of others first yes?” Embarrassed, he fumbled around for an answer but the child continued on. “I do hope, moving forward, you will be more open to learning from us.” Finally, Doctor Hahn regained his composure and cleared his through even if his face remained as red as her eyes.  
“I-Indeed. In all honesty, I approached your parents in an attempt to do so.”  
“Oh?”  
  
He cleared his throat and looked at the king, making sure to periodically look at Frisk and her mother least the ambassador found a reason to shut him down for the disrespect. “I wished to ask if there were other forms of allegiances that the monster monarchy was taking into consideration.”  
“Such as?”  
“In the human world, even in the modern world, the children of different monarchies are often married of in order to strengthen the ties between two nations.” He made a gesture towards Frisk and the little girl leaned back against Sans. “I was curious if such a thing was considered. It is an idea I was thinking of possibly passing forward to my countries own monarchy.”  
  
Toriel huffed. “She is ten years old! Marriage is out of the question.”  
“She is ten years old and the heir to your throne. You should expect offers. Soon she will be a teenager and then a woman. Others will look to her as a way to unite through marital ties.” Toriel frowned deeply. She wanted nothing more than to dismiss Hahn’s words as nonsense but in her time on the surface she realized more and more that humans were not always as reasonable as she believed.  
  
“I’ve already had offers.”  
  
Heads snapped towards the child in a speed that tickled her deeply. Looking up, she lost it and laughed at Papyrus’ bulging eyes as her parents and the doctor recovered.  
“Y-You have?!”  
“My child! Why haven’t you told me this?”  
“When was this, Frisk…?” Out of them all, her father’s underlying anger at the prospect of a human male seeking her out for a wife caused her the most amusement. Nevertheless, she waved them off.  
“Please settle down. Each and every one was rejected.”  
  
“You can’t be serious…” Frisk turned her eyes to Hahn’s and chuckled.  
“Doctor, I am not in the business of marrying to strengthen ties. I believe I have told you all at dinner of how important strength was in the underground. It wasn’t just the strength of ones body I was talking about but the strength of one’s resolve.” Her smile remained as she closed her eyes half way. “Anyone who cannot bring such a manner to me personally, face to face, is unworthy of ever standing by my side.”  
  
“What a childish sentiment.” Though it didn’t drop, the smile fell just a bit. “Just because a transaction isn’t done face to face does not mean that there is nothing that can be gained from it.” Hahn frowned deeply. “The merging of the families could make way for a line fit to drive the nation forward—”  
“Who’s nation, Hahn?” He blinked, realizing he slipped however he did not back down as he tried to recover.  
“Both of ours. Not to mention such a thing would ensure the protection of monsters.”  
  
She always thought that Hahn was a corrupt man… During the various council meetings that they went through, it became very clear to her that he was in for himself and himself alone. When he spoke of the diseases her monsters could spread over to his own people by allowing them passage on to their lands, he wasn’t concerned about possible lives lost. He was concern about the money that would be spent. His concern was the funding that would have to be taken out of politician’s pockets in order to deal with the fall out. When he petitioned for segregation it was to make sure that he could have a way to get on to Frisk’s good side by allowing the monsters in but keeping things as they were at the same time.  
  
She wasn’t sure about where he stood truly until that moment. There was no side that Hahn’s sought but his own. He was in it to save his own skin, his own lifestyle. Having her under his countries thumb made sure that the monsters wouldn’t look at him. Having his hand in Majerus’ made sure that whatever the ambassador sought to do did not affect him. He was perhaps the worse of them all because he was nothing more than a coward hiding behind anyone who could take the fire for him. So, when she felt Sans’ hand on her shoulder, she wasn’t surprised at his verdict. But she did pity him. For Frisk doubted he would survive the war path he was treading on.  
  
“You are very passionate about this, Doctor. Perhaps I should take some time to think it over.” She would not. Her family even knew that she wasn’t going to even consider such a thing. But in order to keep the peace she would play along. The coward didn’t realize how she played him and naively, he smiled in return.  
“Of course, Ambassador.” Ten points for not calling her a child though. “I am sure this is a lot to spring upon you. Please, enjoy your party. We can all speak more about this later.” The little girl allowed her smile to grow once more and she held her hands in front of her innocently.  
  
“Thank you for looking after me, Doctor. Your insight is very appreciated.” Satisfied that he made a point, the doctor returned the smile before walking off. Once he was out of ear shot, she was quick to make a face but it softened as she turned to her parents. “…I’m not getting married.” Asgore blinked before laughing softly. He reached out and placed a hand on the child’s head while shaking his own.  
“Never, ever, ever. Not even when you’re nine hundred.”  
“Asgore!”  
The group shared a laugh and conversed for a moment before Frisk excused herself to attend to the other guess. Once she had their blessing to depart, she turned away and walked with her skeletons right behind her.  
  
“Level previously?”  
“One.”  
“And now?”  
“Three.”  
Her smile, now back in place, twitched and she took a glance at the shorter skeleton. He didn’t meet her gaze. No, his eyes were focused on another man—Ambassador Bastien Carron. With her next target in eyesight, she moved to approach him but never got the chance.  
  
One moment, the child was walking upon her own and the next she was in Papyrus’ arms. The taller skeleton took a fighting stance as he held her close but he didn’t shield her view from what was in front of her. With his eye aglow, Sans held the wrist of a man who had reached out to snatch Frisk’s own. His gripped was crushing but besides that, he made sure not to do any harm. After all, that would hardly be in their favor. That didn’t mean that he wouldn’t make a point. All eyes were on them and Frisk gritted her teeth upon whispering his name.  
  
 _“Sans.”_  
“You know… I fought a man with metal hands once.” Through his pain the ambassador looked up in confusion only to be released. The skeletons held up his hands. “I couldn’t defeat him. He was too heavily _armed._ ”  
“SANS!” The child sighed in utter frustration as Papyrus set her down and proceeded to bark at his brother for his ill placed timing. She would have done the same if the sight of the man before her didn’t distract her.  
  
“Forgive my guards, Ambassador Weber. Though you meant no harm, they are rather jumpy when it comes to those around me.” The ambassador looked down at her with utter derision but it didn’t phase her. It wouldn’t be the first or last time.  
“I am alright.” He announced loudly for on lookers to hear. It wasn’t until most of the guests had turned their attentions away from him that the man sneered. “I should have expected anything less from a set of monsters. For the future, understand that handling a ambassador in such a manner is a grave over reaction.”  
  
“As is laying your hands on the heir to a monarch’s throne.” Sans shrugged but Frisk wasn’t fooled. The skeleton was anything but pleased. “Don’t you know how to greet a new friend, pal? I believe that even in human culture a hand shake is sufficient enough. Now snatching said heir’s wrist in an effort to get her attention… Well, that’s just plan rude and not to mention aggressive.” She found herself next to Sans’ side in an instant and with a sigh she placed a hand to his arm.  
  
“Again, forgive him ambassador.” The human openly glared at Sans, who antagonized him further with a wink, and turned to face the child. “He speaks out of turn and not for me.”  
“Had I been a less patient man, girl, this would have quickly amounted to war. Keep your monsters on a leash least they be leashed for you.” Frisk blinked, slowly closed her eyes half way and put on the brightest smile she could muster.  
  
“You worked with the military in Germany, did you not Ambassador?” Weber, caught off guard at the child’s question took a moment before answering.  
“I did at one point, yes. I moved through the ranks and gained my title appropriately.”  
“I was told you didn’t fight but you still managed to serve through other means. Is that right?”  
“That is correct.” Frisk hummed and folded her arms in front of her.  
  
“I always found myself curious about something if you do not mind.” Weber raised an eyebrow. “Monsters do not have the same amount of knowledge of human ways as my professor does but there are only so many hours in a day to learn everything I wish.” Sans settled back at his brother’s side, watching the little girl intensely. She was mad but she was mad with a goal in mind. Not knowing that goal made him exceptionally jumpy if not amused. Weber took her bait.  
  
“Hmph, I am not surprised. If I can lessen your ignorance, I shall do what I can.”  
“Thank you, Ambassador Weber. You are too kind.” The man’s pride could have slapped them upon inflating at the sound of his name spoken with respect. The monsters and their charge felt it without it being shown on the man’s face externally but that didn’t break Frisk out of character.  
  
“Ask your question, child.”  
“Seeing as I would assume you are still considered a soldier, one way or another I figured you would have an answer to this. As a soldier would you not do anything in your power to protect your nation and the governing body of it even if from the smallest of threats?”  
“Indeed, tis my and any other soldier worth their salt’s duty.”  
“No matter what the country or race is?”  
“No matter what.” The most disgustingly sweet smile came over the child’s face and Sans relaxed.  
  
“Then why should I have to excuse my own soldier for looking after me and doing what he saw fit in order to protect me?” The human was taken back and before he could speak, she stopped him. “If you reach out towards a figure head and expect nothing will happen, you show how ignorant you truly are. You are a soldier. I expected you to know how to properly approach a leader of a nation and even more so a child who will grow to be the leader of her own army.” She could practically see the veins in his forehead pop as she called him out but it had to be done.  
  
Weber was a man who played by the book when it came to war however treated everything as such even though the man had never stepped on a battlefield. She didn’t care personally; if that was how he wanted to be then so be it. But she would show him that while she was still learning, she wasn’t as naïve as he had expected. “Perhaps when we meet again, we shall on better terms Ambassador Weber. It would be a shame to have to phone the Chancellor in order to report how one of her own threatened to leash my monsters as if they were pets.” Frisk took a second and released a giggle that was out of place before pulling some of her hair out of her face. “It would be such a shame to have to cite your nation as an enemy of the state.”  
  
  
  
Rage filled his eyes but he quickly found himself in conflict with his training. It was not a soldier’s place to speak down to the ruling bodies. It was a soldier’s place to listen. And so, her next words further ignited his hatred of the child and gave him his orders. Turning on her heels, Frisk paid no further attention to the man. Her hair whipped behind her and as Sans and Papyrus followed, she gave one curt order.  
“Dismissed, _soldier._ ”

* * *

“HUMAN… WAS IT WISE TO ANTAGONIZE THE AMBASSADOR SO…?”  
Frisk huffed in utter annoyance as she looked around the room for the last ambassador. They only had a few moments left before they were to exchange gifts and afterwards the party would quickly dismantle. But the annoyance fell off her face at Papyrus’ concerns and she was quick to put her hands on her hips.

“Unfortunately, yes. I still don’t have Weber’s true angle but at least we gained one thing.”  
“AND WHAT IS THAT, HUMAN?” Frisk nodded towards Sans who promptly placed his hands in his pockets.  
“Previous level?”  
“Two.”  
“Current level?”  
“Five.” Frisk stopped her movements and stood still, allowing her bangs to cover her eyes.  
  
“…Something is wrong.” The skeletons perked up. “Something is very wrong. The last time we went over everything they were just around level one, two at most, with about twenty or so deaths on their hands.” Her voice was low but they heard her clearly. “But not even two months and already between those two they are up to twenty-seven and counting.” Frisk pursed her lips. “Whatever Majerus is planning… He’s already started.” And it worried her.  
  
If those two men were already at those levels then where was Majerus…?  
  
She hadn’t thought to look in to him. She hadn’t thought to have Sans search her soul because she truly did believe she had more time before it got to the point where he leveled up. She was wrong. Her worries were pushed away when a hand found itself upon her head. “Calm down.” Frisk’s eyes met Sans’ and revealed her doubts. Unfazed by them, the skeleton simply ruffled her hair. “There is nothing we can do now but gather the information and talk about it later.” She moved to argue but he ruffled her hair yet again but this time the message was different. This wasn’t the place to let her guard down. This wasn’t the place for her to show her concerns. If they could lay waste to people just to grow their LOVE, they wouldn’t hesitate to feed off of a second of her vulnerability. Frisk took a deep breath and smiled softly. Sans didn’t have time to comment about her brave front as another voice sounded out.  
  
“Frisk!” The group turned to Aimé as he walked up to them and the Frenchman gestured to where some of the other guest gathered. “Come child! We will open your gifts now.”  
“But Aimé—”  
“It’s fine, kid.” She turned her head to Sans gave her a easy smile. “Go on, we’ll have another chance to check on him.” The child tried to find a excuse but Sans lightly pushed her towards her mentor. "Go on. Pap and I will catch up.” Papyrus looked at his brother in confusion but a quick look from him rendered his complaints quiet.  
  
The little girl gave Sans a look of utter suspicion but as Aimé ushered her along she let it go leaving the two brothers alone. “IS SOMETHING WRONG, SANS…?”  
“Doing my best to avoid the last ambassador, Pap. Imma need your help doing so.” Sans sighed as sweat fell down his skull. “Trying to steer her away from him has been a mess but at least that last human helped in distracting her.”  
“SANS DO MUST YOU ALWAYS FIND A WAY TO AVOID WORK?!” Sans chuckled under his breath but that didn’t take away from his nervousness.  
“More like trying to avoid giving the kid a nervous breakdown.”  
  
Papyrus looked at his brother trying to understand his behavior but when he could not, he placed his hands in his pockets. “THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO BE OBTUSE, BROTHER.”  
“Heh, ain’t trying to be, Pap. But I think its for the best that we don’t tell about the other ambassador just yet.”  
“HUH?”  
Sans’ smile fell just a bit but it was enough to alarm his brother. “When we entered the ballroom, we passed him. Bastien Caron. Previous level two. Current level, seven.” Papyrus’s expression turned to one of horror. He looked around them nervously before making an effort to whisper.  
  
“Sans…? If these humans have made tremendous growths in their LOVE then doesn’t that mean that there are possibly humans who are dying? We should tell her this instant. Shouldn’t we do something about it?” He could see the tension overcome his brother as Sans closed his eyes and shrugged.  
“Sure but ain’t nothing we can do about it now, Pap. You saw how she was panicking after finding out about the last Weber's rise in LOVE.” Cracking open one eye, Sans looked at the little girl who was being gestured to sit while the other ambassadors and guest crowded around to witness the gift giving. “Let’s make it through this party, then tomorrow we’ll worry about handling the situation at hand. We aren’t out of the woods yet…” Papyrus nodded solemnly and watched Sans walk back to Frisk’s side only to join him a moment later.  
  
Frisk had believed that having everyone’s eyes on her previously at dinner was bad enough. But the moment she sat in the chair with the ambassadors crowded around her, she knew it could only get worse. Each present was rather generic in nature. Some ranged from fine jewels to clothing pieces she never thought she would have a chance to wear. Perhaps generic was too simplified of a description but she was so used to such a thing now days that it seemed… normal. It made her reflect as she thought back on the days where Papyrus’ pasta was a luxury in itself. Things certainly have changed. Still, she accepted each present gracefully and was willing to admit that there were some that genuinely made her excited.  
  
When the presents were all but gone, Frisk moved to gain everyone’s attention. She was just about to thank everyone for attending and proceed to begin to see them all off when he stepped forward. Bastien Caron was a imposing figure in his own right but his stoicism is what threw her off guard. He did not show open contempt for the child or the monsters. He didn’t speak ill of them, he just acted. There was no fanfare like there was with the other ambassadors and that, if she was being honest, scared her.  
  
“I fear that there is one gift that has been overlooked, Frisk.” In the back of her mind, she didn’t know if she should be happy or extremely concerned over how he addressed her. She smiled on regardless.  
“That’s alright, Monsieur. It only means we saved the best for last.” Those around them release soft chuckled. A small smile graced the man’s lip but he handed his gift over without a comment. It was a small black box that held no kind of decoration to it. There was no tag that indicated who it was from and there was nothing on the outside at first glance that gave what was inside away. At first, she held it up and looked over it with confusion. It wasn’t until she saw the front, where the box’s latch rested that she came upon a small inscription.  
 _To Frisk. From Monsieur Majerus._  
Her blood ran cold but she didn’t dare look up. By the way he shifted, she knew that Sans had already sensed a change in her demeanor. She took a moment to compose herself opening the box. Lifting out its content, Frisk went wide eyed before falling prey to her memories.

_“When I grow up, I am going to be a scientist just like you mama.”_ _  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She was six or seven, watching her mother diligently. Every morning, when her mother got ready for work, she would join her in her room. She always liked to watch her mother prepare for her job. It was like a super hero putting on a new costume every time she would swing on her lab coat and put on her badge. Her mother had told her when she was younger that she would get tired of the routine but she never did. If anything, she came to cherish the times they spent together in the mornings before their duties separated them. Annaliese's chuckle snapped her from her thoughts and when she realized that her mother was looking at her, Frisk grinned brightly._

 _"I thought you 'despised math with every fiber of your being and cursed the person who made it'. Weren't those your words last night when we went over your homework?"_ _  
"Well... Yea but that has nothing to do with it. I'm still going to be a scientist even if I hate math."  
Her mother raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. Playfully, her daughter mimicked her actions. “You do know about most of my day is spent using math in order to solve problems that come up at work, right?" The child blinked and wrinkled her nose as she took a moment to out weight the pros and cons. With amusement written across her face, her mother watched her go through the stages of grief upon recognizing that she couldn't get out of her love hate relationship with math if she wanted to follow in her footsteps. In the end, upon coming to a stalemate when it came to her emotions about the situation, Frisk raised an eyebrow.  
  
“Do I get a fancy badge like yours?” Her mother laughed out loud and kneeled down to her level. Reaching up, she pulled off the lanyard around her neck and placed it around the little girl’s own. The woman ruffled the child's hair and looked at her fondly.  
“Yes but don’t be surprised if I have them put your name down as Frisky Frikka.”  
“Noooo! Mama!”  
  
  
  
Once more, laughter left her mother, but when she calmed down, she expression turned sorrowful. She called out her name.  
  
  
  
“Frikka…”  
  
  
  
  
“Mama?”  
  
  
  
"Don't lose yourself to grief."  
  
  
  
  
"Mama...?"  
  
  
  
  
“Frik…”  
  
  
  
  
_“FRISK!”

Glowing red eyes met concerned pin lights. Hands shook her shoulders in a desperate attempt to snap her out of her thoughts but she remained stunned. “Frisk? Come on, kid. Snap out of it.” Frisk blinked and looked up from the box into the faces of two worried skeletons. The glow of her eyes faded but her trance like state remained. Asriel pushed forth and placed a hand to her face but when she didn't react, he pulled back. She could hear him barking out something but she hardly could grasp on to his words... There was a louder voice. Papyrus? Her fathers? She wasn't sure. But what she was sure about was the commotion was starting to grow. Frisk moved to close her eyes but was stopped by shaking of her shoulders. Looking up, she met Sans' gaze once again, her hands grasping tighter to what she held within them.  
  
  
The moment she opened the box, Frisk froze and he stopped breathing. The child’s entire being clammed up and in an attempt to stay calm, he called out her name. “Frisk? You alright kid?” Caron chuckled under his breath.  
“Look at her, overwhelmed at Majerus’ generosity.” The comment alone put the entire family on alert but things didn’t go to hell immediately. No… It wasn’t until Frisk looked up with glowing eyes, that they reacted. “Well, would you look at that…”  
  
Undyne’s men were quick to move forward while emotions from the other guest began to range from fear, shock and absolute horror. Asgore surged forward to stand before the ambassador, his own eyes filled with rage. “What did you do?” Caron raised his hands in mock mercy and raised a eyebrow.  
“My dear king, I have done nothing. Perhaps the saying is not prevalent in monster culture but you cannot shoot the messenger.” Asgore bared his fangs at the human but his wife was not so keen on seeing to him as he was. Toriel and Asriel made their way straight to the little girl doing their best too break the little girl out of whatever state she was in. Toriel did her best to be patient but her son did not hold the same capacity for it. “FRISK!” Frisk snapped her head up but instead of meeting her brother’s gaze, she met Sans’ even as her brother shook her. He pulled back however when she looked up.  
  
Worry filled the skeleton’s face and as Aimé sought to damage control, he found his only concern being the girl before him. “Frisk?” She didn’t respond. “Come on, kid. Snap out of it.” Papyrus came to his side unsure of what to do but feeling that he at least had to be there. Behind them, Asriel moved besides his father snarling.  
  
“I swear to fucking god if you hurt her—”  
“My dear prince, how could I hurt her from just handing over a box?”  
“Enough!” The two monsters and the ambassador turned to Aimé who glared at Caron viciously. “Perhaps it would be best if you depart, Caron.”  
“Are you throwing me out, Aimé?”  
“Consider it saving you from yourself if we are unable to rectify the issue you have caused.”  
  
The man frowned but sighed in exasperation rather than disgruntlement. He looked around the room once and found himself slightly surprised at the other’s reactions of disapproval towards him. Still, it did not change his demeanor. “Very well, Aimé.” Two guards took a stance behind the ambassador and followed him as he moved to leave. Besides him, Weber and Hahn moved to join him. “Oh, Aimé?” The Frenchman turned a steeled look to Caron as he looked over his shoulder. “Do pass for a message to the little one for me.” Aimé narrowed his eyes but soon scowled at Caron’s words. “Happy Birthday, Frisk.”  
  
  
Sans turned a glowing eye to the ambassador but was quickly forced to refocus his attention on his charge. As Frisk began to close her eyes, Sans shook her. He was sure she was going to be fine. He was sure that there was nothing wrong but he wasn’t going to take chances. There was relief in his soul when she opened her eyes. They began to focus and he released the breath he was holding. Thank the gods…  
  
“Frisk, what—?” Sans stopped short when he looked at her hands and couldn’t help the taste of vile that rose in his mouth. In her grasp rested an old warn and dirt covered ID with a name and a picture upon it. Dirt had very well become a part of its being. And yet even though it was worn and weathered by time and whatever element it had been through, the name upon it was clear. That hardly mattered though, the face that stared up at them was one they knew all to well. One that undoubtedly, rattled his charge to her core.

Doctor Annaliese L. Diederich.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Take my recent sketch of Frisk.  
> TWO THINGS:  
> I have a entire The Child and The Bone sketchbook.  
> I was thinking of sharing them with my main bae readers on a tumblr or something. Also gives me a space to show off more of the daily scenes that don't fit into the fic. Like Asriel's first interactions with a Keurig.  
> People seem to like the story so why not? If you guys want it just let me know and I'll start a posting.  
> NEXT THING:  
> A Warning.  
> I'll put another warning before it starts to ramp up but I wanted to lead you guys into this by starting here.  
> This story will eventually be rated M. Why? Because my loves, there will be gore. Lots. And lots. of gore.  
> Gore that is relevant to the story, gore that needs to happen but gore nonetheless. Look out for that.  
> I do not want surprised pikachu faces when things get dark and the tag will start to be updated when necessary.  
> Again there will be another warning when we get to this point but mini heads up.


	21. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aftermath- Caravan Palace

There was nothing more liberating than having a name.  
  
Of course if you asked anyone else, they would have said that she had a name even before she remembered her own. But she couldn’t put into words how it felt to be… Whole again. To know more of who she was again.  
  
She was Frikka ‘Frisk’ Diederich.  
She was ten years old.  
If you counted properly in spite of the resets, she was seventeen.  
She was the daughter of the lead scientist, Annaliese L. Diederich—  
  
  
And she was mad.  
  
  
She was so… goddamn mad…  
  
If she was being honest, there was always some anger within her when it came to her life. She was mad that she fell into the underground alone. She was mad that a flower made life difficult from the get go. She was mad that the first friendly face she met attacked her when she tried to go home. She was mad when the second friendly face she met was a lie. She was mad when someone who wanted to be her best friend also wanted to capture her for their own gain. She was mad that the captain of the guard spoke of justice but had no problem trying to murder her in cold blood.  
  
She was mad that while she was being hunted after, a scientist was right under their noses murdering their own kind. She was mad when she was reminded again that the second friendly face was a lie. She was mad when the king came for her soul without actually wanting it. She was mad when the effort she put into gaining everyone’s trust resulted in the flower trying to take them all away. She was mad when she realized that flower was also given a bad hand in life. She was mad when she couldn’t save him.  
  
She was mad when she did save him and she was forced to do it again.  
  
She was mad when her hands were painted red.  
  
There was so much anger in her heart but she had always done her best to look past it. She had to look past it. If she didn’t for the greater good then nothing would get done. Just because she was screwed over that didn’t mean she could just give up. People relied on her; a nation relied on her. If she fell to her grief she couldn’t lead. She had to suck it up. She just…  
  
Frisk put on a brave front once she came to her senses after the ‘gift’ was handed to her. Aimé (bless his heart) took over hosting and as he ended the party, he made sure that the other ambassadors did not think ill of her. It was another blessing that most, if not all, did not. In fact, they seemed just as disturbed at Caron and, by association, Majerus’ actions. She would take the time to write out apology letters as well as ones thanking them for attending. It was a small price to pay in order to not have to face them one by one as they left. Her mother and Sans tended to her when she came to her senses and were quick to help the child out of the public eye. Toriel took little girl to her room, helped her get undressed and tried her best to get the child to part with the box.  
  
The queen stopped trying when the child sent a menacing look her way. It was a glare that would have made Chara _proud_.  
  
The subject of the box was avoided for the rest of her stay and she tucked the little girl into bed. She made of show of asking her mother to stay until she was asleep and of course, the queen complied. Once she was certain that her child was asleep, Toriel kissed Frisk’s forehead and left the room quietly. By the time the room door closed, the child’s eyes were wide open as she stared up at the ceiling.  
  
“When I was little… I told you that politics was a pain when you tried to show me that it was a good career choice.”  
“Aye. You told me, ‘Science doesn’t back talk you. People do. That’s why I want to be a scientist.’” She could hear the fondness in her mother’s voice, but she didn’t return the sentiment.  
“I wasn’t wrong… People are bothersome.” Annaliese chuckled gently.  
“You sound like the skeleton.”  
“Good. It means I’m taking after the one person who has taken up to the role of looking after me considering that everyone else needs to be coached on doing so—” She looked over at her mother. “Or is dead.” Annaliese flinched but quickly frowned even though her daughter didn’t miss a beat.  
  
Frisk sat up and reached out to pick up the black box off of her dresser. She opened it and reached past the ID to pull something else out. A comb. “You told me… You would give me this on my thirteenth birthday because by then I would learn how to keep my things by then.” Annaliese smiled gently and moved to come closer. She ended up sitting on the end of the bed but her daughter’s focus didn’t change. Frisk continued to stare at the comb and dragged her fingers lightly over it.  
“You always lost you accessories… Even when you tried very hard to keep them. We thought you were cursed at one point…” An unexpected laugh fell from her daughter and Frisk turned a smile so pure it was almost menacing towards her mother.  
  
“We were right you know?”  
“About what?” Frisk’s smile grew.  
“I am, indeed, cursed.”  
  
She could almost hear her heart break at her daughter’s words but at the same time she knew there was very little she could do to ease it. Silence enveloped them but just as she found something to say, Frisk spoke up. “Did he have something to do with your death?” Annaliese quickly turned to her daughter with a disciplined expression only to be met with a stoic look. She didn’t answer her right away and for a while Frisk was patient. When her patience ran out, she repeated herself. “Did he have something to do with your death?” Once again, there was no answer. Annaliese prepared herself for anger but what she didn’t expect was the scoff she was given instead. “Fine. Don’t answer me. Chances are I will find out eventually. If he was holding on to this for all these years what else is he holding on to? A lock of your hair? Your lab coat?”  
  
Frowning deeply, she spat out her next line. “Your body?”  
“Enough, Frikka.” She stopped at her mother’s demand and her shoulders fell.  
“You have all the answers.” Her voice came out as a whisper at first but soon it grew as she gained her confidence. “You have all the answers. You know what happen to us. I can’t remember. Why don’t you tell me?” Annaliese turned her head away and sighed.  
“I can’t…”  
“Tell me why you can’t.”  
“I can’t.” The last word barely left her mouth as a pillow came flying her way but just as it would have made contact, Annaliese disappeared.  
  
Frisk looked at the spot where her mother one sat. All she had to do was tell the truth… All she had to do was tell Frisk what happen. Fill in the blanks of her memories instead of spoon feeding her them a little at a time. She flopped back on her bed and closed her eyes. There was no attempt to even wipe her face as the tears fell and she drifted to sleep.

* * *

Toriel made her way down to the study where everyone had gathered once she was sure that Frisk was asleep. She put on a good front to keep her emotions at bay but when she entered the room she frowned. “She’s asleep finally… But she would not allow me to remove the box from her. Putting up a fight to retrieve it would have caused her more stress, so I allowed her to keep it close.” Asriel and Undyne scowled but the fish woman spoke out first.  
  
“What the fuck was even in that box to cause such a damn reaction?! I could catch the damn glow from her eyes on the cameras!” Asgore placed a hand on her shoulders as a light reminder for the woman to remain as calm as possible.  
“We don’t know, Undyne. None of us do. She wouldn’t let us open it once she closed it back up.” Undyne pursed her lips and turned her head to Sans.  
“Oi, Pun Boi.” He didn’t bother to grace her with a response and kept his eyes closed as he sat. They all knew he heard her though. “I saw you on the security camera. You were close enough. Did you see what was inside?” He didn’t respond. “Oi! I’m fucking talking to you, Sans!”  
  
“I know. But see here’s the rub: I don’t know if it’s more trouble to tell you now, or for you to hear it from the horse’s mouth.” He opened his eyes half way and shrugged. “It’s a sensitive topic. And, considering what happened the last time I relied something sensitive to you lot, I’m not so sure It would be smart to make the same mistake.” Her anger grew to the point it was visible but surprisingly it deflated as Undyne narrowed her eyes.  
  
“…How long are you going to hold that against me? We’re on the same side. I’m trying to help. But none of us can help if we don’t know what’s going on.” Her lip curled up and for the rest of her days she would deny her next words. “Please, what was in the box?” At this point, his full attention was on her. He didn’t take long to answer this time but his words brought on more confusion.  
  
“Do you remember your mother, Undyne?”  
“W-What?”  
“Do you remember your mother?”  
“Y-Yea. Of course, I do!” Sans turned his head around the room.  
  
“Do you remember your parents?” The others responded in kind and he leaned further back against the sofa. “Imagine that they died when you were a kid. Now imagine you forgot everything about them. You forgot that they died, what they looked like, how they sounded… Probably wouldn’t bother you too much right? You can’t lament over what you don’t know. Not when you have so much to do already.” His grin widened weakly. “Now imagine you start to remember. Its little things at first. You remember their hair colors. Then their eye color… You start to remember what they look like and how they hated certain things. You know now that they’re dead but you don’t linger on it. Desperate to cling on to the memories that are good, you refuse to think about how it all came to be.” Sans paused.  
  
“Now imagine you get a box. Imagine that the moment you open that box you get something that belonged to your mother or your father that was worn and covered with dirt with their picture and name on it.” There was flinch that went through them all collectively. “You realize you can’t avoid it any longer. They’re dead. You can’t escape that reality anymore. So, you do what anyone else in your shoes with emotions would do.” His smile fell completely off his face. “You crack.”  
  
Aimé frowned deeply. “Do you know what Majerus put in the box…?”  
“Only what Frisk had in her hand.”  
“And?”  
“It was her mother’s work ID.” The Frenchman moved to ask another question but Sans held out his hands in front of him to stop him. “Before you ask, yes. Yes, I know her mother’s name. No, I will not be sharing it. When the kid wants to, you’ll all know. To be honest, I feel like I shouldn’t even know.” Even though it wasn’t as if her mother gave him a choice. Nevertheless, Sans was grateful that the human didn’t push it.  
  
“I suppose that’s understandable but it doesn’t explain why her eyes were glowing. Getting lost in your mind is one thing when a memory is triggered. As humans we see that dazed like state when one suffers from something like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. But we most certainly do not start glowing when we do.” Sans rolled his eyes and moved to stand up.  
“When you have a soul as strong as hers is, a little glowing is the least of your worries.” The group exchanged looks but he paid them no mind as he approached the door. “It’s late. With everything that’s happened today we’re all going to have to deal with tomorrow. For now, I advise you get as much rest as you can.” Because in the back of his mind the skeleton was more than sure that shit was about to hit the fan.

* * *

_He was both annoyed and amused when he opened his eyes and realized that he stood in darkness. After the night he had, he’d rather not have conversations with souls long gone, thank you very much. But if she was going to annoy someone, it was better him than the kid.  
_   
_“Listen… I’m all for getting the pieces to this puzzle when I can but,” The skeleton turned his eyes to the woman who stood before him in the darkness. “I don’t think giving me the pieces is as important as comforting the child who has literally shut down.” Annaliese sighed and shook her head.  
“I already tried to comfort her. She is... inconsolable and rightly so. I will go to her again later.”  
“Sure. Hang out with a skeleton when your daughter is having a mental break down caused by the unpleasant reminder that her mother is dead and was most likely murdered.” The look Annaliese tossed his way could kill. “Actually, scratch that. You should go to her now.” She turned a dark glare to him but it barely phased him.  
“What I **should** do is give you a warning.” Sans moved to speak but was quickly interrupted when the woman appeared before him and stuck her face in his with an eyebrow raised.  
  
“How do you talk so much for one who never opens his mouth?” Sweat fell down his skull.  
“Magic…?” He was more than relieved when she pulled back. Her next words, however, tore that relief away.  
“You know very well that Majerus is the catalyst for Frisk’s fall. And why I died…”  
“Wasn’t hard to put together.”  
“No, but for Frisk it is. Especially since I will not let her remember that night she fell.” Annaliese crossed her arms over her chest. “Her LOVE is so high… No matter how she wishes to spare and change people around her there is no changing the stain that demon child placed upon her soul.” She adverted her eyes. “If she figures out what Majerus has done, she will go after him.” Sans remained silent. “You saw the glimmer of hatred that sits in her heart when Helena spoke ill of me. Of how that small comment pushed her into attacking…”_

_“That was different.”  
“Do not be so naïve.” Annaliese looked at him once more with hardened eyes. “Chara may have been the driving force in pushing her hand in the underground but you all forget one very important thing.”  
“Maybe it’s you who has forgotten one important thing.”  
“Excuse me…?”  
  
It was now his turn to sigh. “Frisk is a child. She is a child who has been pushed to hell and back but a child nonetheless. She had a tantrum with Helena but she wouldn’t have killed her. I know that for a fact.” Annaliese stared at him for a while. He refused, absolutely refused, to acknowledge the tittering edge that Frisk was on. All of this just because of some stupid old ID…  
  
“When Papyrus was killed…” His head snapped up. “Did anything else matter? That first time you held your brother’s dust did you care about anything else but revenge…?” Sans gritted his teeth. “You know what it’s like to be able to kill the one who has done something wrong against your family. No, Frisk doesn’t linger on hatred but even you have seen the depth of her anger. They do not go hand in hand but the results of drowning in one or the other is often the same.” Worry crossed the woman’s face as she continued on. “She’s never dealt with that anger, Sans. And with how fast everything is playing out, she will not have a chance to.”  
  
Sans watched as the woman reached out and held out her hand before him. “Please… Keep your promise and protect my child… Even if it means from herself.”  
  
If he told her, the little girl would lose herself to grief.  
If he told her, the little girl would seek revenge.  
If he tried to stop her, the little girl would only stand it for so long.  
If he tried to stop her, they would be right back where their LOVE began…  
  
Hesitantly, the skeleton reached out and took Annaliese’s hand but when they made contact he quickly overcome with one feeling—rage. He looked up at her with fear in his eyes but when she failed to meet his smile fell from his face. It wasn’t Annaliese’s rage he was feeling but a version of her very much alive and very much in pain…  
  
“Children are fickle things. Sometimes they seem to be an endless pool of innocence with a wisdom adult can never touch because we are so jaded by the world. We expect every child to come to terms with how the world works as they grow. With that, the injustices they face just become a part of everyday life. They learn to resolve their anger to move forward.” The feeling of rage intensified and Sans ripped his hand away unable to handle it further. “But fickle children can easily become dangerous children when they are forced to grow up quickly.”  
  
Annaliese lowered her hand and watched as Sans jammed his own in his pocket. “Anger doesn’t go away. It either builds or explodes… But I don’t need to tell you that, do I?” His frown turned into a sneer but the woman remained as she was.  
“Just what the hell do you propose we do then…? You know as well as I do that anger like that takes years to overcome.”  
“There is nothing we can do.”  
“Lady, throw me a bone here.” Annaliese wrinkled her nose.  
  
“As I have, I will keep her memories under wraps to the best of my abilities. But what I need you to do is make sure she doesn’t realize what he has done.”  
“And if I can’t?” She frowned deeply.  
  
“Then you best be prepared to keep your promise.”_

* * *

There was something intimidating about seeing the child dressed to the ‘T’ in her suits. It made her look fierce. It reminded men that she was on their level even if she didn’t always seem to be. But after wearing it for so long, after making her suits a part of who she was, nothing was more off putting now that seeing the little girl without them. She sat backwards on her chair, staring out her window with her wardrobe discarded around her room. Shirts, socks, jackets; everything was spread around from her desktop, to the floor. In the end, nothing was as satisfying as that blue sweater with its two purple stripes. They were just two days away from Christmas with snow littering the ground and yet here she was sitting walking around with shorts.  
  
If she could survive Snowdin in this outfit she could survive a surface winter with it.  
  
Annaliese had tried once or twice to come but each time she did, she was met with stoicism and silence. At one point the woman called out to her by her real name and was met with a hair brush being thrown right at her. The brush made its way through the woman and shattered a mirror instantly. The shock Annaliese felt was never resolved, for the maids were quick to rap upon Frisk’s door when they heard the commotion. Her mother disappeared and the child did not answer. She could hear the women beginning to panic but she thought nothing of it. _He_ would be there soon enough.  
  
So, she took her seat and waited in front of the window. Frisk closed her eyes half way and watched the snow fall. It was funny to think how things were so different last year compared to this year. If she would have known any better, she wouldn’t have followed down this damn path. She wouldn’t have allowed Aimé to talk her into moving to the manor. She wouldn’t have taken on the mantle of ambassador full heartedly. She wouldn’t have done her best to make sure things were peaceful. She would have made sure that each and every one of those _filthy dirty—  
  
_ She moved the moment her shoulder was touched. She expected him to arrive. She expected him to approach her silently. But for whatever reason, her body was in fight mode—and he was the one being she knew could tolerate it. Still, she felt bad for snatching his wrist in such a bone breaking way. He didn’t deserve it. Glowing red eyes met a glowing cyan eye as the two locked gazes and just as quickly as she caught his wrist, she released it. “Today I have learned the side effects of smoking frogs.” Frisk blinked. “It makes you jumpy.” Her eyes returned to normal but she didn’t respond. The child merely turned her attention to the window as the skeleton scanned around the room.  
  
Sans couldn’t say that he was surprised at the state of the room. If anything, he was grateful she hadn’t done worse from what the frantic maids reported to him. No, what concerned him was the child’s absentmindedness and her first instinct telling to potentially fight instead of spare. Perhaps he was getting ahead of himself. Perhaps he was seeing the worse when it wasn’t even there yet. But he had seen that look in her eyes more than once and in her fragile state he rather be prepared for everything than—  
  
“If I wanted to attack you, I would have already Sans.” He twitched. “You caught me off guard.” Never taking her eyes off the window, Frisk pointed to the door. “I’m alive. I didn’t reset your precious world. Now go away.” It was hard trying to find something to say to someone when there was no way to console their grief. In a messed-up way, he was used to dealing with losing a loved one after seeing everyone die over and over again. But even if she did reset, even if she did give in, there was no bring back her mother. Sans closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  
  
“Don’t you go biting me or anything.” Frisk looked at him despondently and watched Sans reached out slowly and picked her up. She didn’t fight him, thank god, but he was grateful for that fact and disturbed by it. She merely wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face into his hoodie. Any smart-ass comment or sly pun he had lined up died on his tongue and without another word he took her seat. With the child on his lap he rested his chin on her head. “…Not gonna lie to you and say it’s gonna be okay. It’s probably gonna get worse before it gets better. She’s not gonna tell you the truth. Considering she’s bff’s with Gaster I wouldn’t be surprised if you still don’t know everything in the end.” Gently, Frisk raised her fist and hit it against him softly either begging him to shut up or get to the point. She earned a chuckled from that.  
  
“But I’m here for you. You know…? I—”  
“You got your revenge.”  
Her voice broke through and it was as cold as it was calm. “Even though it was Chara, even though I fought to overcome her that doesn’t make up for every single time I killed Papyrus.” The skeleton froze up but she didn’t stop. “Even though it wasn’t my fault this is my punishment. But the difference is no matter how I reset, no matter when I reload, I will **never** get my mother back.” Sans tightened his hold around her but she didn’t react to it. “There is no amount of humans souls I can offer that will give her life again. There is no magic number to the amount of times I should spare Majerus before it all goes away. My family is gone and all I’m left with is the remnants of who Frikka Diederich used to be…”  
  
Frisk nuzzled the fur of his jacket and closed her eyes. He wasn’t going to let her go any time soon but it was more to ground himself than for her good. “I wouldn’t wish this shit on my worst enemy kid. You think I wanted this?” She didn’t respond and he found himself growing frustrated at his own helplessness. “You don’t… You don’t have to grieve alone, Frisk.” If he had hair, he would have pulled it out when she continued to stay quiet but he didn’t feel any better when she spoke.  
  
“When Papyrus was killed did you come after Chara because you were mad or because you were sad…?”  
“…Both. I was mad, mostly.” She looked up and he took a deep breath. “There was always some sadness… But I was mostly mad. Mad at Chara for killing him. Mad at myself for not stopping it.”  
“Were you ever mad at Papyrus?” The skeleton took a second to think about his words before speaking.  
  
“Yes.”  
“Why?”  
  
“Because not every person deserves the benefit of the doubt. Not every person deserves mercy.” For the first time since he entered the room, her eyes softened. “It’s okay to hate him, Frisk.” She visibly bristled and moved to push away from him but Sans only held her closer. Her squirming soon stopped and she moved to return the embrace. “And even though she's gone it’s okay to be mad at your mum.” He could feel her little fingers dig further into his coat at his words and watched as she buried her face back in his fur. It would take more than just his words to make her feel better, he knew this. But if he could start the process, he’d do what he could.  
  
“I don’t even know if he did it… What if he didn’t? What if he knows who did? What if he’s just messing with me?” Her grip on him tightened but his eyes just continued to soften as she looked up with tears running down her face. “How will I know if she doesn’t tell me!? She knows! She knows!” Sorrow and anger worked in tandem but rage won out. “She knows who tore us apart. She knows how we ended up like this and she won’t tell me!!” Sans reached out and placed a hand to her cheek. He wiped away her tears but she was unfazed. “Why won’t she tell me? Why won’t she let me—”  
  
“Let you what Frisk…? Kill him?”  
  
The little girl froze and Sans dropped his hand and pulled her against him once again as he leaned back in the chair. “…Killing you, never gave me the peace I wanted. Not once. No matter how I impaled you, no matter how I bled you dry, I was never satisfied. Heh, you’d think after years or so of murdering the girl who would continuously kill my brother and friends you would get something out of seeing them die but, nah. Never got anything from it but relief.” Sans rested his chin on her head and closed his eyes. “But… That was even short-lived cause in the end, they were dead. They weren’t coming back until you _let_ them come back.” She tried to curl in on herself but he didn’t pull away.  
  
“Despite everything I went through, I was lucky. Because in the end I got my brother back. I got my friends back.” The anger rose again but he wasn’t put off.  
“Is this what you wanted…? To fucking brag?”  
“Language.” A cry of frustration fell from her and Frisk pulled back to beat on the skeleton with her fist. Sans took her wrist and stopped her but in doing so he was meet with bright crimson irises the moment her anger overcame her.  
“Fuck you, Sans! You don’t have a goddamn idea how it feels! You didn’t lose your—”  
“My what, Frisk? My mother? Nah, I didn’t.” He squeezed her wrist and her soul to slowly start to appear. She really was ready for a fight and he couldn't help but to think back to her mother's words. “But a father is just as much as a loss.”  
  
A daze look came over her. It soon turned into confusion then a look of realization as it hit her that the skeleton knew all too well what it was like to lose a parent. The skeleton sighed deeply. “Keep cursing like that and I’ll wash your mouth out, kid. I don’t care how old you are in technicalities you are still ten.” She had the nerve to look relatively embarrassed but, in a huff, attempted to pull her wrist back. He didn’t let her go. “When Gaster died there was no words that could describe what I felt. But there was no resolution for that either because he did it to himself. He was careless. He was the reason he was wiped from every timeline. He was the means of his own death no one else.” Sans took a moment but did not linger. “And that made me angrier than any time you struck Papyrus down. Because, just like you in this moment, I am the only one who remembers my parent. I know what happened to them to send them to the void.”  
  
Frisk did her best to hold on to her anger but she couldn’t. “I don’t know what happened to you mum, kid.” That was a lie. “I can’t tell you how or when it happened.” It was another lie and this one crawled through and up his spine. “I do know the sense of hopelessness you are feeling and more than anyone else…” He dropped his grip as he held her eyes. “I understand that rage in your eyes.” Tears flowed more freely than before and her soul moved back in her chest. He took a glimpse at it but said nothing as the dam broke and the child turned into a sobbing mess. Her cries of grief over came her and he pulled back for just a moment to remove his hoodie. Without a word, he wrapped her up in it only to cradle her against him like fragile glass doll.  
  
“We’ll never get them back. We’ll never have our parents there for our milestones. We’ll never have the chance to say the goodbyes we wish we could. But… For the moment if nothing else, we have each other. You’re not alone.” If possible, the reaffirmation that he understood her feelings caused her to sob harder and in an hour’s time, the child had worn herself out. She slept in Sans’ arms with a tear stained face, clinging to the skeleton even in her dreams. He looked down at the little girl and checked her breathing only to close his own eyes. All he did was talk with her and he felt like he ran a marathon. While the door was still locked and the others were scattered, he was going to take advantage of every nap he could get.  
  
And he needed it.  
  
He woke up before her and when she finally opened her eyes, he smiled at her. She couldn’t find it in herself to return it but her anger had died substantially. He didn’t force her to talk but instead gave her a hug that she quickly returned. “How ya feeling kid…?” Frisk didn’t respond right away but soon she snuggled closer to him and hid her face from view. “If you want, I can head out and get some f—” He instantly became aware of the death grip she assumed on his sweater and he wasn’t taking that off. Sweat fell down his skull and he chuckled lightly. “Alright, not moving. But uh… I can’t teleport food out of nowhere. I gotta move eventu—”  
  
“She’ll come if I’m alone. And I’m not ready… I don’t want to talk to her.” The skeleton blinked. “I don’t want to see her dirty lying face.” The skeleton put on a weary smile as he thanked the gods that those sharp words weren’t directed at him. He could almost feel the impact to her mother from where he sat…  
“What if I have someone else stay here while I go get it?”  
“You are just trying to get rid of me.” There was no jest in her voice. She believed it. Sans placed his chin back on her head and released a breath.  
“If I wanted to do that I would just teleport away if that was the case, kid. Come on, have some faith in me.” The child huffed and he cursed himself for what he was about to suggest.  
  
“How about this? I get your brother in here to sit with you and get us all food from Grillby’s?” Frisk looked up and raised an eyebrow. She didn’t need to speak her thoughts; they both knew the last thing he wanted was to start a snark contest with her brother but if she needed someone there, he was the best option. “It’s either the goat or Tori—”  
“Goat.”  
  
The skeleton paused but the moment he realized what she said he laughed. Though a smile didn’t appear the edges of her mouth twitched and that was good enough for him. He had convinced her to let him leave her for just a moment in order to grab the prince and she complied. Perhaps, however, he should have specified that he really meant to grab him. For one moment, he was gone and the next he was standing in the middle of the messy room with a confused looking prince. Asriel didn’t stay confused for long before he turned a glare to Sans.  
  
“So, we have shitty scientist, really messed up judge, horrible body guard and now kidnapping on the list of offenses against you.”  
“Frisk said she wanted to go to a petting zoo but didn’t feel up to traveling. What better way to make her happy then by bringing her a goat?” To his pleasant surprise, the prince immediately turned his attention away from the skeleton to his sister as the little girl moved to sit backwards on the chair once more. The glare fell from his face and his expression turned sullen upon watching his sister turn despondent once more.  
“Frisk?” She turned her head just slightly to acknowledge him and Asriel smiled brightly. “We’ll be right back!”  
“Eh?”  
  
One moment he was standing in the room, the next he was dragged out by the collar of his turtle neck. If he wasn’t Frisk’s brother (forget being a prince) he would have been tossed out the window. He pulled away and straightened himself out when the door closed and huffed. “Gentle on the merchandise. You break it you brought—”  
“How is she?” Sans’ eyes moved and soon rested upon the prince who stood with his arms folded over his chest looking at him seriously. “I heard the maids speak of her destroying things but honestly I expected it to be worse than that.”  
“She had a tantrum but it’s to be expected. I’d be more worried if she just laid in bed all day.”  
  
The prince sighed and looked towards the door. “The last time I saw her so despondent was after her first genocide when Chara released her. I’m worried about her shutting down.”  
“Then don’t let her.” Their eyes met as Asriel raised an eyebrow. “She’s angry. She’s lost. The best thing we can do for the kid right now is keep her grounded and help her sort out these emotions the best we can. Frisk doesn’t want to be alone.”  
“You could have just called me to come you know.” Sans winked at him.  
“Where’s the fun in that?”  
“…I’m proposing a new mandate.” The skeleton snickered as the prince made his way to the door but quickly stopped at his next words. “A ketchup ban, for the good of the nation.”  
  
“You wouldn’t dare.”  
“Try me, Sansy.”  
  
He didn’t give the skeleton a chance to answer before closing the door on him and turning his attention to his little sister. She had turned in her seat once more to face the door with Sans’ hoodie on. He would laugh at how imposing she looked if it wasn’t as depressing as it was humorous. “Hey, Fri—” Gravity was never his friend. He was quickly reminded of that fact when he soon found himself on the floor with his sister in his arms. His growl stopped short in his throat upon noticing his sister shaking in his arms. Without missing a beat, he gathered her up and moved to the bed before sitting down and holding her close.  
  
He didn’t ask her how she was doing. He knew.  
He didn’t ask her what happened to the room. That wasn’t important.  
He didn’t ask her what she was thinking. How stupid would that be?  
She didn’t need an overbearing protector. She didn’t need someone who tried to solve all her issues. Right now, she was his little ten year old sister who just needed a hug. And that’s what he did. Asriel cradled her close and snorted softly as he spoke.  
  
“Oh, you humans… So emotional.” A sob collided with a soft but broken laugh and she tightened her hold on him. Placing a hand on her back, he rubbed small circles upon it doing his best to calm her. “There we go, deep breaths… Are you just trying to gain sympathy points to steal my fries later?” It was his turn to laugh when she hit him gently. Frisk paused and took a deep breath and looked up with a soft face. The tears broke his heart and he made sure to interrupt her. “Stop.” She blinked. “You don’t owe me or anyone an explanation. Not me, not skeleton, no one.” They understood, the skeleton and the prince. But the difference was, Asriel knew how to leave well enough alone—Sans did not.  
  
Frisk nodded slowly and turned to lay against him once again as her brother held her close. Asriel knew how to leave well enough alone… And she loved him for it.  
  
“You smell like the smiling trash bag.” She punched him and huffed as he snickered.

Sans found his smile softening. He knew she wasn’t going to let go with him as she did with her brother. It wasn’t unsurprising or unexpected. Although he was whole again, Asriel was once a bundle of nothing but anger himself. At the moment, he was probably the only other person who could bring more laughter out of her. Whether or not he could help her get rid of some of that anger was yet to be seen. Leaning against the wall, Sans listened in to the conversation until he was sure the little girl would be fine. At first, he intended to get in and out when it came to getting their food but after seeing how she reacted to spending time with Asriel the long route wouldn’t be that bad.  
  
After all, he had his own sibling to check in on.

* * *

Papyrus sat at his desk with a solemn look on his face. There was nothing he wanted more than to ignore everything right now and put it to the side for a later date but he couldn’t. It was bothersome that he would have to speak to his brother now but he knew very well that the longer he stalled, the longer Majerus had to continue on. And he couldn’t allow that to happen especially not with Frisk in the mind frame that she was now. He ran a hand down his face and took a deep breath as the conversation with Yvea replayed in his mind.  
  
 _”I…There is something you should know, Papyrus.”  
  
The woman paused and watched on as her soul completely faded back into her chest. She held a hand over where it rested within and closed her eyes. She would be betraying her employer. She would be literally signing her death warrant if he found out she had told him. But after seeing her soul, not even that could deter her. Looking up with more resolve in her heart she lowered her hand. “Majerus and his men are in the underground. They have been scouting out the area for some time however they have just found where you all have exited from not that long ago.” There was a look of sheer terror that came over the skeleton’s face but she continued on. “A few days ago, the men he sent into mountain reported back that they found some kind of power source. Do you know what that could be?” The skeleton put a hand over his mouth.  
  
“THE CORE.”  
“The Core…?”  
“DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ELSE, YVEA? DID THEY SAY WHAT THEY WERE DOING DOWN THERE? WHAT THEY ARE AFTER EXACTLY?” The woman shook her head.  
“Majerus does not trust me to be around him anymore when discussing manners.” If possible, the air around them grew heavier as Papyrus released a sighed.  
  
“IF THE HUMANS ARE TAMPERING WITH WHAT HAS BEEN LEFT BEHIND IN THE UNDERGROUND THEN WE WILL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO GET THE OTHERS INVOLVED—NAMELY SANS AND THE KING.” Yvea frowned.  
“Frisk will want to join in. She—”  
“I BELIEVE YOU ARE SLIGHTLY MISTAKEN, YVEA. IT WILL BE EXTREMELY HARD TO GET MY BROTHER OR THE KING TO TAKE SUCH MANNERS WITH OUT FRISK GUIDING THEM. I UNDERSTAND YOUR HESITATION TO ALLOW THE HUMAN TO TAKE CHARGE BECAUSE OF HER AGE. MOST FEEL THE SAME. BUT I IMPLORE YOU TO NOT DISREGARD HER ACHIEVEMENTS BECAUSE OF A NUMBER.” Yvea bit down on her lip before yielding hesitantly.  
  
“Then we should speak to them.”  
“NO. **I** SHOULD SPEAK TO THEM FIRST. THEY WILL HAVE NONE OF IT COMING FROM YOU IF YOU APPROACH THEM.”  
“But my soul—!” Papyrus _smiled _at her apologetically.  
“I CAN TELL FROM THE COLOR OF YOUR SOUL YOUR INTENT. IF YOU ARE PLACED BEFORE MY BROTHER BEFORE WE EASE HIM INTO MEETING YOU, HE WILL MOST CERTAINLY LOOK THROUGH EVERY ASPECT OF IT. AND THAT IS NOT A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE FOR HUMANS OR MONSTERS.” The severity of his voice halted her words and the monster sighed. “I WILL SPEAK TO THEM. I PROMISE YOU THIS BECAUSE I WILL CHECK UPON THIS FIRST HAND.”  
  
“Don’t be stupid!” Her sudden rage caused him to turn only to face a panic stricken human. “You can’t go there by yourself! You will be killed before you can even return back!” Papyrus blinked at her and smiled softly.  
“BUT I WON’T BE GOING ALONE, YVEA.”  
“Huh?”  
“YOU’RE COMING WITH ME.” For a full second, she processed what he was said only to scowl.  
“We’ll need more than just the two of us.”  
“AND WE’LL HAVE IT.”_

_Yvea looked at him with slight concern and crossed her arms over her chest. Papyrus didn’t giver her a chance to inquire. “DO YOU HAVE A PHONE, HUMAN?” The woman blinked before nodding and when he held out his hand, she handed hers over. “THE CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD, THE WOMAN WHO RAN THE EQUIVALENT TO THE KING’S ARMY IN THE UNDERGROUND IS A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE. I WILL SPEAK TO HER AND THE KING BEFORE I SPEAK TO MY BROTHER.” He entered his number into her phone and handed it back. “THE KING WILL HELP US CHOSE THE BEST ROUTE.”  
  
“And Sans?” To the best of his ability the skeleton gave the woman a smile of confidence.  
“I WILL DEAL WITH MY BROTHER WHEN I GET TO THAT POINT.”  
_

* * *

The knock to the door caught his attention and Papyrus did his best to clear his mind. “COME IN!” His smile fell just a bit at the appearance of the king even though the monster smiled at him in return.  
“It is quite unlike you to call upon me like this, Papyrus.”  
“OH, I’M SORRY. WERE YOU BUSY?” Asgore shook his head and moved to take the seat on the other side of the desk.  
“Not at all. Frisk hasn’t emerged from her room and, although I know the others wish to go to her, we are giving her space.” The taller monster looked at him concerned but the king continued. “She is okay. The maids rushed to as at one point because they heard something breaking but Sans is with her now.” At that news, Papyrus looked down at his hands with a soft expression.  
  
“MY BROTHER REALLY IS THE AMAZING.” The expression quickly turned sour. “NOW IF ONLY HE PUT THAT MUCH EFFORT INTO STAYING AWAKE.” Asgore laughed but when he settled Papyrus looked up and sighed. “I AM AFRAID THIS IS NEITHER HERE NOR THERE HOWEVER. THERE IS SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT I HAVE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU, ASGORE… SO MUCH SO THAT I DON’T THINK I COULD EVEN RELAY THIS INFORMATION TO SANS FIRST.” The seriousness and worry in the skeleton’s tone and expression put him on edge but he held it within and gestured for the other to continue. If only it was as simple as spitting it out. Papyrus thought of a hundred and one ways to tell the king what was going on but, in the end, the only way to say it was bluntly.  
  
“MAJERUS IS IN THE UNDERGROUND.”


	22. Wait for It (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wait for It Leslie Odom Jr. Hamilton Soundtrack.  
> I HAVE BEEN PLANNING AND LISTENING TO HAMILTON WAY TOOO MUCH.  
> These next few chapters take planning and me cross checking to make sure I don't fudge up what I have planned by not back tracking.  
> Did I mention I am a derp? Ya. Thats why they are taking a bit longer.

The fragile state of his daughter worried him more than anything else. Frisk was a feisty child and did her best to wear her strength on her sleeves. In a way, she was just like Undyne when she was a child. But after seeing her reaction to the ID and seeing her crack under her grief, he was reminded once again why she needed more protection than most thought. So, when Papyrus spoke, and he registered his words, the king let out a snarl without restraint. _“What?!”_ The skeleton fidgeted but to his credit he remained as calm as he could.  
  
“YOU REMEMBER THE WOMAN WHO STOOD BY MAJERUS’ SIDE…YES?”  
“His maid.”  
“YES, WELL THAT WASN’T THE FIRST TIME I HAD MET HER.” Papyrus looked away. “FRISK SENT ME OUT THE MORNING OF THE PARTY TO MAKE SURE THAT LAST MINUTE ARRANGEMENTS WERE TAKEN CARE OF. UPON EXITING ONE OF THE SHOPS I CAME FACE TO FACE WITH THE HUMAN, YVEA.” He went on to explain what had taken place upon meeting the woman, what she said and what her intentions are. When suspicion crossed Asgore’s face, he was quick to rely how they snuck away to speak the night of the party and how he judged her soul himself. “I TRUST HER INTENTIONS. ALTHOUGH SHE IS UNDER MAJERUS’ EMPLOYEE, SHE HAS NO LOVE AND SEEMS TO GENUINELY WORRY ABOUT WHAT HE INTENDS TO DO SHOULD HE GET HIS HANDS ON FRISK. ONE THING IS CLEAR, WHAT EVER HE IS AFTER DOWN THERE HE NEEDS HER TO FINISH WHAT HE STARTED.”  
  
Asgore’s silence was just as terrifying when compared to any snarl or growl that he could release. Papyrus continued. “NORMALLY I WOULD BRING THIS UP TO SANS BEFORE SPEAKING TO YOU ABOUT SUCH MANNERS. BUT… SANS IS OVERLY PROTECTIVE OF ME. I’M NOT BLIND TO THIS. NOW IS NOT THE TIME, HOWEVER, TO DWELL ON SUCH THINGS. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT PUTS FRISK AT RISK.”  
“What are you getting at, Papyrus?” Gaining his confidence, the skeleton looked the king in the eyes.  
“SANS NEEDS TO STAY HERE WITH FRISK. SHE WILL NEED ALL THE PROTECTION SHE CAN GET. NEVERTHELESS, WE CANNOT LET MAJERUS AND THOSE WITH HIM MOVE FREELY WITHIN THE UNDERGROUND.”  
“You want to go.” He nodded.  
  
“YES, BUT NOT ALONE.” Papyrus folded his hands upon the table and sighed. “THE OTHERS TEND TO FORGET THAT, EVEN THOUGH UNDYNE IS STILL IN CHARGE OF THE MEN UNDER YOU AND FRISK, SANS AND I ARE THE ONLY ONES YOU HAVE TRUSTED TO WATCH AFTER FRISK. I HAVE TAKEN A BACK SEAT TO MOST OF THIS IN ORDER TO FOLLOW MY BROTHERS’ LEAD, BUT HE IS VERY BIAS. I WORRY THAT HE WILL ACT BUT LEAVE FRISK IF WE DO NOT HAVE A FIRM PLAN BEFORE HAND.” His eyes looked downwards. “THOUGH HE IS QUICK TO DISMISS IT, NO ONE ELSE CAN CALM FRISK DOWN LIKE HE DOES. THE PRINCE COMES CLOSE AS DO YOU BUT THEY’RE HISTORY IS THICK.”  
“Your brother will have my head if I send you out there, Papyrus. Under normal circumstances he wouldn’t say a thing. We all know you are capable of taking care of yourself but we just do not understand how dangerous this human really is.”  
  
Their eyes met. “AS STATED, I AM NOT PLANNING TO DO THIS ALONE. I COULDN’T. YVEA IS SUPPOSED TO GET MORE INFORMATION ON THE HUMANS AND CONTACT ME TO MEET. WHEN WE FEEL CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO DO SO, I WISH TO GO TO THE UNDERGROUND WITH UNDYNE, SOME MEN AND YVEA AT MY SIDE.” The king fell silent and inhaled deeply. Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes.  
  
“If it wasn’t for your brother, I would have consented. However, before we decide on anything, we need to get him on board. If he is to stay and guard the home front, he needs to have his mind on that completely.” The skeleton moved to speak but was quickly stopped by a raised hand. “But all of this will be done with out adding more stress on to Frisk. She cannot handle dealing with this right now and her thoughts. This will be simply a reconnaissance mission. In and out. No heroics.” Papyrus nodded and Asgore rose. “You will let me know immediately when the human contacts you. We will not bring everyone together until Frisk is asleep.”  
“BUT WHY—?"  
“Frisk will immediately know something is up if Sans is called away from her. We will do this right.” Papyrus conceded and with a short goodbye watched the king leave the room.  
  
There was a sense of relief that came with knowing that the king was on his side. Undyne would quickly jump on board the idea. He felt bad for approaching the subject with his brother like this. And yet, as he sent a text message to Yvea letting her know that they would need to speak soon.

* * *

Annaliese looked at her daughter from the window that the Void supplied and placed a hand over her mouth. She couldn’t tell her. She just couldn’t tell her. Yet even with that resolve it didn’t make it any easier to witness her child break down. Especially when the last thing she wanted was to see her own mother. Even if she couldn’t tell her, she could still be there. Should that be enough for now?  
  
“I can hear you thinking from here.” The woman looked over her shoulder but quickly looked back to the window. Her lack of a response didn’t stop Gaster from speaking. “Did she not make it more than clear that she does not want your presence right now?”  
“I am her mother.”  
“And that is exactly why you should leave her alone for now.”  
  
Annaliese turned on her heels and glared at the being viciously, not surprised in the least that he was right behind her. “I do not need parenting tips from one whose son doesn’t trust him.” She expected her words to hurt or at least get him to back off. She didn’t expect the curt laughter.  
“Perhaps you do. Just like before, you are repeating my mistakes step by step. My actions caused Sans’ distrust and yours cause Frisk’s.” Annaliese gritted her teeth. “Time is running short, Annaliese. The long game you wanted to play is running on seconds. Restore her memories.”  
  
“I can’t.”  
“You can.”  
“Returning her memories will hurt her, Gaster! What do you think she is experiencing now?!”  
“I can guarantee you, Annaliese, that the pain from her grief will not be stronger than the pain of being overwhelmed due to being ill prepared.” She averted her eyes but looked up when his hand took her chin and forced her to meet his eyes. “Tell her the truth.”  
  
“She isn’t ready yet! You know very well how she will—!!”  
“Majerus has already acted. The time we thought we had is gone. I rather deal with a homicidal child who is hunting down her mother’s murderer than a psychotic man who thinks he should be granted the powers of a god!” Annaliese clutched her fist.  
“We still have time too—”  
“We do not. He is already made it to the underground. The gods only know how long it will take before he manages to figure out how to use the DT extractor for his own devices.”  
  
“She doesn’t need to know he killed me in order to stop him.”  
“No, but she needs to go into this fight with a clear mind. Not weighed down by the truths that her mother refuses to speak.” The doctor moved to speak but he held up a hand to stop her. “You hid the truth from her before, Annaliese and it contributed to your demise.” The woman flinched. “Do not repeat your mistakes. We cannot stop history from mimicking itself if you refuse to learn from your mistakes.”  
  
He watched the conflict over come her and Annaliese squeezed her eyes shut. One moment she was there and the next—gone. “I can’t… I just. Can’t.” Her voiced faded and soon the monster found himself alone in the darkness. Slowly, Gaster allowed his hand to fall as he looked through the window to the little girl who sat in the prince’s lap.  
“No… You can’t.” His eyes focused in on where the child’s soul rested in her chest and sighed. “Let us be glad that when the time comes, I can.”  
  
Killing was a means to an end.  
  
It was a action that should have been used as the very last resort but it was always a option none the less. His own boy could see that even if they did everything in their power to keep her memories away from her, Majerus would most likely die. Keeping her memories from her simply prolonged the chain of events that were to happen. That were supposed to happen. At first, he was completely behind Annaliese of course. He too had believed that keeping everything from the little girl would be the best course of action. But he had also believed that they had time to return the memories to her slowly. He had thought they had at least another year at minimum. If he had known how short their timeline really was, Frisk’s mind would have already been restored.  
  
But even when that became obvious, his companions’ guilt over being the catalyst for this all over came her duty to make sure that they keep the time line safe. He was no stranger to guilt himself when his own child and his actions that affected him. He understood Annaliese’s hesitation greatly however he also knew that her reluctance to push ahead would just serve to hurt her daughter more. Serve to hurt his son more.  
  
That line of thought was what kept him working out of sight. He didn’t like keeping Annaliese in the dark. But when it came to the piece of his soul in Frisk, it was better that way. His boy had yet to say anything if he did catch a sight of the blackness that curled around the red soul. In his own heart, Gaster knew his time to be called upon was growing near but… He wasn’t Majerus. He wasn’t going to continue down this road without allowing the child to know the exact consequences she would face for calling upon him through her soul. Reaching up, he placed a hand over where his soul rested and closed his eyes. He would apologize to Annaliese later; his mind was set.  
  
Wing Ding Gaster didn’t deal in the area of probability and the one time he did—he sealed his fate. He would not make the same mistake this time. “Sire.” Gaster looked over his shoulder to the monster child follower who fell victim to the void. “The true lab has been infiltrated. However, I could not proceed further. Being away from you and the others in the void is taxing.”  
“Tis fine. I only needed to know where they were at this stage.”  
“Should I slow their progress?” Gaster shook his head and sighed gently.  
“No. This time I will play a more intimate role in this line.” The monster child bowed its head, never closing his hollow eyes as he simply disappeared.  
  
Out of the four of them, the child would be the only one who understood the need for his plan. And yet… Gaster took a deep breath and allowed a smile to come over his face. That did not mean he would be spared from her sass when she realized he held out on information upon giving her a piece of what was left of his soul.

* * *

Asriel and Sans stayed with her until it was once again time to return to bed. Frisk did her best to pull herself a bit out of her mind but even when she engaged with the boys, her mind was always preoccupied. At some point, she began to fake her tiredness just to get the two to leave. Asriel was the first to take the hint and proceeded to usher Sans out as well. In return, the skeleton gave him shit for abandoning his sister but the prince was quick to respond.  
  
“You are literally obsessed with a ten year old, you pedophile.”  
“Pot. Meet kettle.”  
“She’s my sister, not my project like some.”  
“Keep on talking.”  
“My pleasure! First let’s go over your flaws.” The prince made a show of looking the skeleton up and down. “You’re less obvious flaws.” The two monsters jumped at the sudden noise and upon turning to Frisk they were meet with pillows to the face. After the initial shock of being hit, the human in question’s sigh sounded off. Their eyes met and without a word, Frisk pointed to the door and tapped her foot impatiently. The monster’s exchanged looks and snickered.  
  
“We’re going, we’re going. Night sis.”  
“Later kid. I’ll be here in the morning.” Asriel passed through the door but Sans stopped short and looked over his shoulder. “If you need me, I’m only a shortcut away, kay?” She nodded and to her nonverbal reply, he scratched the back of his skull. “If… _she_ comes, let me know. I’ll run her off for ya.” Frisk blinked but to this her face softened and she gave him a small smile. “It’s too bad your mum doesn’t stop at guilt trips.” What? “She runs the entire travel agency.” There was a blank confusion that came over her but the moment the pun registered; Frisk was already picking up another pillow to chuck it.  
  
The ass disappeared before it could make its mark.  
  
Frisk stood in place for some time. She closed her eyes and listened to the sounds around her as if waiting for something unseen. Suddenly, the child allowed herself to fall backwards but she never hit the floor. “Impulsive child.” She kept her eyes close and the figure that caught her was cool to the touch. It was comforting, in its own right. Familiar. Hands place themselves on her shoulders but when she opened her eyes one floated before her pointing at her disapprovingly. “If your intuition was wrong you would have landed on the glass you displaced earlier.”  
“My perception is almost never wrong.”  
“You are not infallible, child. Your mother and my son should have taught you that.”  
  
She pulled away and stood up straight. “I hardly remembered my name and you expect me to remember lessons my dead mother should have taught me?” Gaster sighed and shook his head. “That’s what I thought.” The elder monster frowned and moved to speak but he was quickly stopped when he watched the little girl reach up. “You were there.” Against his better judgement, the monster reached out and allowed her to take his hand which she did without a thought. “You were there, when she promised to give me the comb.”  
  
“I was there for a lot more than that, little one.”  
“I can’t remember everything.”  
“I know.”  
“You said you were my friend.” Frisk looked down at his hand and sighed gently before closing her eyes. “But you said it once before I even fell… I forgot.” She began to speak once again but a finger to her lips silenced her. She gave him a rueful glance but he disregarded it.  
“Aye, you have forgotten many things from before your fall.” Gaster removed his hand from her lips and rested it upon the crown of her head. “Shall we remember together?”

* * *

 _Annaliese rested in bed with her eye’s half opened. Her husband had to be forced, alongside her daughter, from her side to return home and finally get some rest of their own. It broke her heart to see her little girl sob over her and the more tears she shed the angrier the woman became towards herself. She should have never put herself in that situation. She should have never gotten in to the machine. Her husband was more worried than anything but she could clearly sense his disappointment in her over brushing off what affect her actions would have on her family. Annaliese turned her head towards the window before closing her eyes.  
  
According to her colleagues, the moment the machine turned on her form began to distort and conform. They did their best to turn off the machine but by the time they managed to do so she was gone. They had managed to get the director and bring him in only to receive a seething verbal lashing as he panicked over the woman’s disappearance. Just as he was coming up with a plan she appeared. Annaliese tried in her tired state to push them for a more in-depth answer for what they meant but ‘just appeared’, but they couldn’t explain it any other way.  
  
She just… appeared.  
  
And yet, it became clearer and clearer in the time she spent in recovery that something about her, something about her being had fundamentally changed. Not to mention the new fact that she was almost never alone now… Annaliese closed her eyes and began to feign sleep. At some point she believed she was going to actually pass out but the sudden presence she felt appeared just before she gave. She could hear soft footsteps make their way towards her and when they came to rest before her bed, she did her best to still her breathing. A hand came to rest upon her forehead and she became aware of the missing area upon its palm.  
  
“…Foolish, child.”  
“It is rude to speak of those who are listening.”  
  
The hand instantly lifted from her head and when she looked to him she caught the expression of utter shock. For the longest time, they said nothing as they held each other’s gaze but once the shock subsided the being spoke.  
“You…can see me…”  
“I saw you before… In the void. Why would I not see you now?”  
“You rejoined this world. You shouldn’t be able to see me.”  
“You told me that I could not rejoin this world once I entered the void. So how are you even here?” He paused.  
“My hypothesis is that whatever you have done allowed me to walk this world although I still do not exist. Where once I could only see the world from windows produced in the void, now I can walk amongst it in my own way. I am still apart of the void.”  
  
His uncertainty wasn’t lost on her. Although she did not know him well, she did know enough to tell that the being before her spoke confidently. To speak without it caused her to worry herself. “Your hypothesis? You speak as if you are merely guessing at what has allowed this to come about.” His mouth twisted of one of frustration.  
“I do not know why this has truly come to be… I do not even know how you were even able to create a crack in the void to the point where you could escape. I believed it impossible… I did not gest when you appeared and I told you there was no way out. After what seemed to be centuries in the void, I believed nothing less.”  
  
They fell into an uneasy silence while their thoughts consumed them but Annaliese was the first to speak up. “I apologize.” He looked up in confusion but she continued. “I shouldn’t have reacted as I had previously.” Without blinking, he continued to stare at her and she shrunk under his gaze.  
“…Are all humans so senseless?” She glared at him but he was unfazed. “When I entered the void I, myself, was completely inconsolable upon realizing that I was unable to free myself. The…Tantrum, if you will that I threw would have easily leveled this city. You screamed and had a panic attack. It was hardly irrational for you to act in such a manner.” Annaliese softened her expression and looked down at her hands.  
  
“I’ve felt off… Ever since I came back… The doctors don’t know how to explain this feeling and the scientist are just curious as to how I managed to survive the entire ordeal.” She placed her hand over her chest. “But it’s not my heart that’s hurting. It’s something else.”  
“It is hardly surprising. You strained your soul so much that I would be surprised if you didn’t feel some sort of discomfort.” She raised an eyebrow.  
“My soul? Souls do not exist.”  
  
His curt laughter made her feel like a child stating an urban myth to an elder who knew better. “My dearest girl, you have been to the void and back. You have witnessed a being forgotten by time and space. Yet through it all you still deny what may seem farfetched simply because your conventions deem it so?” Well…when he put it that way… Annaliese pursed her lips.  
“I believe in what I can see. I can see you. I can see the void.”  
“Your colleagues cannot see me and you have seen your soul.”  
  
She snapped her head in his direction and cocked it to the side in confusion. Slowly, as to not throw her off, he began to approach. Annaliese was not a short woman but her companion clearly towered over her. “Can may I…?” Every single alarm was going off in her head. Hadn’t she gotten herself into this situation in the first place by not listening to them? And yet here she was again, ignoring the warnings and nodding. She watched as he reached out and hovered his hand near her chest. She began to flush when nothing happened and just when she was getting ready to tell him to back off, a red glow caught her attention.  
  
“From the little bit that I have seen, humans have completely forgotten their ties to magic. It is tragic as it is expected. The last time I walked the surface it was very clear that their control over it had been slipping. Your souls are always present and yet you are out of touch with them. You are unable to call to them.” The glow became brighter and brighter until a red heart appeared and came to rest right before her chest. He moved his hand away and looked it over.  
  
“Red… Determination. It is a soul trait that so rarely consumes one fully due to the fact that different traits can hold their own kind of determination. I can only speculate that your desperation to return to your home triggered your soul to act.” He moved stood up straight and folded his hands behind his back.  
  
“But it is only speculation on my part. Determination is a tricky thing indeed and even with my extensive research I have yet to be able to understand it myself.” Annaliese held hand out and stroked the soul lightly with her finger. She shuddered at the sensation and furrowed her brow. She couldn’t very well have the soul resting out for ever… She thought of asking him to return it but he wouldn’t be there forever. She would…have to try to do it herself.  
  
Annaliese took a deep breath and stared at the red heart. She tried imagining it disappearing; nothing. After a moment of silence, she opened her eyes before frowning deeply. She tried again but yielded the same result. “How do I… Make it go back?” She watched as he stared her down but his answer wasn’t what she was expecting.  
“Will it.”  
“What an astute answer…”  
“You have seen your soul’s essence and have used your determination before. Focus and send it back.”  
  
She gave him a look of utter distain before closing her eyes to try again. How did she feel before…? There was level of desperation when she used her soul previously but there was more than that. She wasn’t just desperate she was determined. She was determined to return home and now she was determined to send her soul back. Annaliese focused on that feeling and committed it to her memory. Upon opening her eyes, a smile came over her face as she realized that she had managed to call it back.  
  
“It seems you are a quick study.”  
“Seems so… Hey?” He raised a brow bone but she just allowed her smile to soften.  
“I’m Annaliese.” He blinked at her but then snorted gently when he realized what she was doing. After all, proper introductions were necessary.  
  
“Hello, Annaliese. I am Dr. Wing Dings Gaster.”  
  
Frisk look on silently, knowing very well that what she needed to see wasn’t over. Her mother was still in the hospital room when she was presented with the next memory. Gaster sat next to her in a chair as the woman looked through the documents laid out upon her bed. “You should be resting, Annaliese.”  
“I am resting.” The doctor rolled his eyes and picked up a set of papers. Annaliese looked at him curiously, uncertain of how he was able to interact with the world but not be seen or remembered (his words). Then again, there were already so many things about the doctor she didn’t understand. This wouldn’t be the first time his actions made her curious.  
  
“Am I to assume the anomaly in these files is myself?”  
“You already knew that.”  
“Perhaps. But I didn’t know just how insistent you lot were about coming into the void.” The woman huffed.  
“Well that has changed now hasn’t it…” He didn’t respond immediately but when she did her skin turned cold.  
“That’s not what your director has stated by his suggestions.” Annaliese snatched the paper out of his hands, ignoring the ‘rude’ comment that fell from him. Upon release from the hospital she was to speak to the director about her experience and the… plane Gabriel had recorded?  
  
That fucking, little— “Shit. He did it… He…” She couldn’t know for sure… there was no way unless… She looked up. “When you were in the void, before I appeared, did you see? Who sent—” The door flung open. Annaliese was only given a moment to react before her arms were suddenly filled and a mess of black hair filled her vision. Shock filled her being as the child that made her way into her arms looked up defiantly. “Frikka—”  
“’I’ll call you in the morning, Frikka.’ ‘Yes, you can come before 11, Frikka.’ ‘Don’t worry! I won’t forget, Frikka!’ Its midday already and you haven’t phoned home once because you are working! AGAIN! Liar!” The woman flinched and did her best to ignore the soft chuckles from her companion_ upon realizing what her daughter was going on about.  
 _  
“Ah… I’m sorry Frikka, I was—”  
“Working. Again. Even though that’s what put you here you were working!” The seven year old sat up properly and removed herself from the bed only to cross her arms over her chest. “You told me you were going to rest!” Annaliese rubbed the back of her neck.  
“I know, I know. And I was going to. But one of my coworkers brought this over to me. I had to look through it.” Frisk wasn’t buying it in the least, but when her mother took her hands into hers her glare softened.  
  
“The doctors don’t know what is going on, mama... They don’t know how to tell me what happen or if you are okay… Please rest. I need you to get better.” The woman frowned deeply and moved to gather up her papers. She placed them to the side and made room for her daughter to join her properly on the bed. She did so with out a word.  
“I’m making you worry, aren’t I?” Frisk nodded and soon found herself gathered up within her mother’s arms. She wrapped her own around her neck and closed her eyes. “I’ll rest, my frisky Frisk.” She grunted in dismay at the nickname causing her mother to chuckle gently. “How about you stay her with me today hmm? I’m sure the nurses won’t mind.” The little girl hugged her tighter and Annaliese returned the affection ignoring the presence of the monster in order to focus on her daughter. She was the only one in the room however who was unaware of the child’s awareness.  
  
Gaster watched over the scene with a patience that was thanks in part to his stay in the void. But he also watched on with a sense of familiarity. A child who scolded the parent for over working… It was a situation that he himself often found himself in with his own son when he was… The thoughts were brushed a side and he took a soft breath as he looked up. Ruby irises met white pin lights and he knew the child wasn’t looking through him. No, she was staring right at him.  
  
He stopped breathing as if taking a breath would shatter the peace of the moment as Annaliese continued to hold on to the child. Yet, as he continued to look on he realized two things. One, there was no fear in the little girl’s eyes. There was a curiousness that lingered in them but first and foremost a determination to see if the being she was looking at was a threat to her mother. And two, she was waiting for him to make the first move. Slowly but surely, the monster raised his hand up and pressed his finger to his lips.  
  
Annaliese was aware of his presence and it was a situation that neither of them understood. He shouldn’t have been detected, remembered. Not by his family, his race, this human who stumbled on to him and certainly not the child who was her daughter. At the moment allowing her to realize that her own daughter who was an innocent party through this all was somehow thrown into this mess would cause a new set of problems they did not need. He was only thankful that the gods seemed to agree as the child nodded hesitantly and closed her eyes again. He disappeared, not wishing to push his luck.  
  
_

_But he was a scientist to his core. And even if he cursed his need to push his luck, that didn’t stop him from following the child and moving to look over her at her home. He did his best to stay out of sight as he observed her, looking for any traces of abnormal behavior. Nothing was more abnormal than having the little girl turn and address him directly.  
  
“If you keep following me, I’ll throw a cross at you. Demons can’t handle crosses.” He didn’t know whether to blink at the threat or question who decided to teach a seven year old the very bases of demonology. He chose the latter.  
“Then let us be glad that I am not a demon.” She placed her hands on her hips and looked him over scrutinizing his appearance harshly. He felt sorry for whoever had to deal with the child as a adult. He worried she would worse than her mother in her mannerisms.  
“Are all angels so…cracked looking?” He lost it at this.  
  
Laughter, true laughter, was a rare thing for him and his did nothing to persuade the child that he wasn’t a threat. When he managed to put her fears at rest, he would be sure to thank her for it. “I am no angel, child. Not by a long shot.”  
“Then what are you?”  
“A monster.” Perhaps he should have responded with more…finesse. Perhaps he should have deflected his answer entirely however he was never one to beat around the bush, not even with his own child. And once again, the child answered back just as peculiarly.  
  
Smiling from ear to ear, Frisk placed her arms over her chest. “I told her monsters exist. She didn’t believe me.”  
“She?”  
“My mom. She said there is no scientific proof of monsters.” That did sound like the woman who had managed to go to the void yet at the same time deny that souls exist… “But why were you in my mom’s room? How come she didn’t see you?” He wasn’t one to beat around the bush… but this time he was okay with blatantly lying to the child’s face.  
  
“I cannot be seen by anyone, child.” A half-truth. “I shouldn’t even be seen by you. But I was once a scientist myself and thus watch over your mother out of curiosity.” It was another half truth but one that the child accepted. He was thankful she didn’t appear to wish for more information but her next question threw him for a loop.  
“Are you making sure that no one hurts her…? I know mama’s strong but she’s never ended up in the hospital before… Will you make sure shes alright?” Gaster pursed his lips at the child’s request and yet could see no reason to correct her. Afterall, Annaliese had started down this rabbit hole and they weren’t about to get out of it any time soon. So, with a soft sigh, he conceded.  
  
“I believe that was my intention to do so. Worry not.” A new smile came over the girl’s face and she beamed up at him.  
“Thank you— Uh…Mr. Monster!” Once again, a short chuckle left him.  
“I am Doctor W. D. Gaster.”  
“Thank you, Mr. Gaster.”  
  
He had over stayed his welcome. He felt it and yet his motion to excuse himself was stopped when the child held out her hand. “We’re friends now, right Mr. Gaster?” The monster stared down at her and slowly reached out to take her hand in his own as his words fell from him._   
_“Yes, little one… I suppose we are.”_   
  


She slapped his hand away from her head, causing the monster to look down at her in slight surprise. Frisk looked down and clutched her fist. “You were there.” The doctor didn’t speak. “You were there then. You know what happened from beginning to end.” The underlying accusation didn’t pass him by and he bluntly acknowledged it.  
“I suppose you speak of your mother’s demise. Yes child, I do know what happened.”  
“Tell me.” Their eyes remained locked as her LOVE raged within her. It pushed and shoved for the tiniest of cracks, praying for one shot that would allow her to unleash it. The blow was dealt in one word.

**_“No.”_ **

****

He threw his head back, keeping his hands neatly folded behind his back still. He didn’t know how the child managed to snatch up the shard of glass so quickly, but he was hardly surprised. After all, this was the body that hosted the demon once upon a time. But her attack didn’t stop there and he proceeded to dodge in accordance to her motions. Her eyes were completely aglow now and she moved as though she was a child possessed. Each stab was meant to cause harm, there was no holding back and though he was sure she couldn’t hurt him if she tried, he didn’t want to see if her determination would prove him wrong.  
  
At some point, she pushed him into moving against the wall and just as she thought she had him—he disappeared. The shard found a new home in the wall and despite her efforts it would not leave its new sheath no matter how hard she pulled. “This is why they will not tell you. This is why you are not allowed to know. Foolish, girl.” The monster reappeared behind her and the little girl screamed in frustration, leaving her makeshift weapon in the wall. Turning on her heels she made a fist as she looked at Gaster with seething _hatred_.  
  
“Stand down, Frisk. I am not your enemy.”  
“Nor or you my friend, _monster!_ ”  
  
Gaster was many things. To his credit, he prided himself on holding a extreme amount of patience in the face of most of the challenges that he faced. But that endless well was about to run dry. Frisk gritted her teeth and lunged towards the monster once more, carelessly and wildly. This time, the monster didn’t dodge. This time he remained as he was and when Frisk pulled back her fist to hit him, he hit her first. Although he didn’t punch the child hard enough to break ribs, he did punch her hard enough to wrench a sickening sound from her. As he looked in her eyes, he watched as the shock of the blow reverted her eyes back to normal but he was hardly done. Before she could regain herself, the monster grabbed her and threw her haphazardly on to the bed with the same two hands that appeared. The ones behind his bad had still yet to move.  
  
He walked up to the bed with the look of a disappointed father as the child curled in on her self and whimpered. “Will saying it make it any better?” Frisk continued to writhe in pain but tear-filled eyes looked up at the monster through it all. “Because I see the doubt in your heart—you want to confirm the killers name so you don’t feel guilty about killing him.” She shook as if she had been shot. “Did you think I wouldn’t figure out what you intend to do?” She didn’t speak. “You want blood. Revenge. Yet even if I told you, that is not the answer you are really looking for, is it? Your question isn’t, ‘who killed my mother?’”  
  
Frisk picked herself up weak and gritted her teeth. “Shut up…”  
“Your question is ‘why?’”  
“Shut up!”  
“Even if I confirm the thoughts that linger with the uncertainty you feel, you need a reason. Because you can’t kill anyone anymore without a reason. You couldn’t face Sans nor your brother without one.”  
“SHUT UP!”  
  
Her determination forced her to stand. Her determination helped her find her way in front of the monster and bring down her fist upon him. But they didn’t hold the same amount of anger. They didn’t hold hatred just, tiredness. She was so tired. Frisk didn’t remember when she went from hitting the monster to sobbing in his arms. To be frank, she didn’t even notice him picking her up. Still, she didn’t complain and the monster sighed as the child proceeded to soak the collar of his turtleneck with her tears. He did not coo comforting words at her like the other’s would, no, but he at the very minimum allowed her to break in piece without his words. It took her a full twenty minutes to stop her tears but her words surprised him.  
  
“You hit me…”  
Gaster blinked and looked down at the child incredulously as she whined and placed a hand over her injured stomach. “You tried to _stab_ me with a _glass shard_.” His accusation did nothing to stop the child’s whining and for a moment he was reminded of how Sans would handle such a situation when he, himself, was a pile of baby bones. The elder monster sighed and moved to heal her injuries as best as he could. “There is a reasoning to my words…” As he healed her, the little one looked up. “I will not tell you who killed her. Not yet. We do not have time to play around when it comes to unleashing your memories. Your mother lingers in guilt but I see the bigger picture. You must remember and quickly.”  
“Then let show me my memories--!”  
  
She was quickly silenced by a stern look. “And what? Send you on a rampage as you just were? I will unleash your memories but I will do so in order. If I don’t, we risk breaking what is left of your frail psyche.” Frisk clutched her fist and although she tried to sound more intimidating, she sounded broken.  
“I am not frail…” The monster said nothing of it.  
“When you dream, your memories shall come. I can only hope that we are not forced to unleash them all at once.”  
  
For the longest time the child remained silent, settling for sniffling and mulling around her thoughts before she whispered. “This isn’t fair… None of this is fair.” It was a rare thing but he wasn’t heartless. Giving in to his more parental mannerisms, Gaster turned the tearful face of the child up to his and frowned.  
  
“Life is hardly fair, Frisk. However, you have a choice here and now. You can fall into your grief permanently and allow the injustices that have fallen upon you to continue to fall upon others. Or you can grieve now, swallow the truth of the past and preserver for your future. Seven. Nine. Ten. Seventeen. It doesn’t matter what your age is, a child shouldn’t deal with this—not the sins of their parents.” She began to tear up again but he wiped them away before they could shed. “But you are in a position where you must end the cycle least it destroys this world you have built down. You are the one thing in life you can control, you must understand that especially when you are before Majerus.” Gaster held his hand out and her soul responded in kind revealing the blackness of his own that intertwined with hers. “And this time, when you stand before your foe, you will not be alone.” The two locked eyes and the monster inclined his head.  
  
“I _promise_.”

* * *

Sitting in front of the rag tag group that had become their family was not always nerving. However, when the group consisted of his brother, the king, Undyne and the prince, he found himself instantly on edge. The maids were quick to find the pair after they had left the room and even quicker to lead them to the office where the group rested. Upon seeing them all, Sans moved to make a pun but the somber mood over them all rendered him silent. Even the goat didn’t comment as he narrowed his eyes at them all. Asgore was the first to speak.  
  
“There has been a development that requires our upmost attention. I fear this is something that should be kept out of Frisk’s ear for the time being.” Asriel couldn’t help the sneer that came over his lips.  
“Majerus…?”  
“Unfortunately.” The king looked at Papyrus who shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The skeleton had refused to look at his brother at first but at the king’s insistent gaze, he finally looked up. Guilt flashed through his face but it was quickly replaced with a seriousness that cause the elder brother immediate concern. He didn’t get a chance to voice it before Papyrus began.  
  
“MAJERUS HAS MADE HIS WAY INTO THE UNDERGROUND. AS WE SPEAK, HE IS MAKING HIS WAY THROUGHOUT IT AND ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT SURE WHAT HIS TRUE INTENTIONS ARE DOWN THERE ONE CAN CERTAINLY MAKE A GUESS.” Sans’ eyes blacked out the moment the first sentence left his brother’s mouth.  
“The Core…”  
“INDEED. I CANNOT SAY FOR CERTAIN THAT IT IS HIS MAN OBJECTIVE BUT REGARDLESS HAVING HIM AND HIS PEOPLE DOWN THERE IS ALREADY ENOUGH CAUSE FOR PANIC. WE HAVE SENT FOR ALPHYS BUT EVEN WITH HER INSIGHT AS TO WHAT HE COULD DO WITH THE CORE IN HIS HANDS, WHAT HE INTENDS TO POWER WITH IT IS UNKNOWN.” Papyrus wringed his hands in front of him and sighed. “AND WE CANNOT ALLOW THIS TO GO ON WITHOUT INVESTIGATING.”  
  
There was a silence that past between them all but it only lingered for a second before the storm came crashing down. “Pap, how do you know all of this…?” Papyrus met his brother’s eyes or lack thereof and answer bluntly.  
“THE MAID THAT STANDS BY THE HUMAN’S SIDE HAS BEEN INFORMING ME OF MAJERUS’ MOVEMENTS.”  
“And you think just because she told you something its true?” Papyrus narrowed his eyes.  
“NO… I THINK BECAUSE THE WEIGHT OF HER SOUL IS PURE IN COMPARISON TO THE HUMANS AROUND US THAT HER WORDS ARE TRUE. I THINK BECAUSE WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LEAVE THINGS TO CHANCE THAT HER WORDS ARE WORTH LOOKING INTO.” Sans clenched his teeth. His displeasure at the secret informant his brother kept from him was slightly outweighed by the chance of Majerus messing around with the core. He turned his eyes from Papyrus to look to Asgore.  
  
“Then I will look into this.”  
“No.” The skeleton froze but Asgore continued. “It has already been decided that Undyne will lead a party to the underground along side this human maid and Papyrus. You and Asriel will remain here on the property.”  
“Have you _lost_ your _goddamn_ mind?” The calm words held nothing but seething rage behind them but the king met his anger with his own stern look. “It makes sense to send Undyne and the guard but Papyrus—”  
“Is not a child you can coddle for ever Sans. The child that does need protection is in that room upstairs breaking down mentally from the psychological attack that human has laid upon her.”  
“I didn’t say a fucking thing about sending Frisk in.” Asgore fought from baring his fangs.  
  
“Frisk just received a piece of her mother, who is god knows where, from that bastard. How do you think she will react when she realizes that the one, she loves the most in our group, is out there near the man who could have possibly had a hand in destroying the life she once had? How will that child, who has been torn asunder both physically and mentally, act when her fear of losing you over comes it all?”  
“Don’t you use that bullshit against me. If those humans get their hands on any one of us, we will be dusted in a second. Don’t you dare act like that isn’t a risk.”  
  
“You are not a perfect killing machine, Sans!” To this, the shorter skeleton’s eye began to glow but Asgore did not back down. “This is too big a job for one person! Even for you. We are not taking back the underground. They will go, observe and return.” The laughter that broke from Sans was nothing short of mocking.  
“And you think it will be that easy?” He closed his eyes half way and shook his head. “You really haven’t changed one fucking bit have you…? Always setting us up to do your dirty work.” Undyne jumped up and scowled but Asgore raised a hand to stop her.  
  
“Setting up a means of getting something done to protect us all is better than setting up a means that will cause more trouble in the end. You know better than any of us what happened with Frisk when the child sought to kill.” Sans narrowed his eyes.  
“That was Chara.”  
“And yet her LOVE is what it is. Do not think I am ignorant to it, nor to how she has responded to the ID since holding up in her room. There are no secrets in the mouths of maids.” The skeleton glared at the human women who stood in the corners of the room cowering under his gaze. “Would you leave her with Papyrus knowing good and well that he can do nothing against her if she truly lashed out?” His grin grew more demonic in nature and the skeleton moved to speak only to be hushed.  
  
“ENOUGH, SANS. ENOUGH.” The groups attention turned to Papyrus and the younger brother looked more worn than annoyed. “ASGORE DID NOT COME UP WITH THIS SOLUTION, I DID.” He didn’t allow his brother a chance to speak. “YOU AND UNDYNE HAVE ALWAYS SOUGHT TO PROTECT ME AND SHIELD ME FROM WHAT YOU DEEM TO BE THE HORRORS OF THE WORLD. MAYBE THAT COULD HAVE SLID BY IN THE UNDERGROUND BUT WE ARE NOT THERE ANYMORE. EVERYONE HAS A ROLE THAT NEEDS TO BE FILLED AND MIND IS AS SUCH. HAD I ALLOWED MYSELF TO PLAY IGNORANT ANY LONGER WE WOULDN’T KNOW THAT HE WAS EVEN IN THE UNDERGROUND. YOU CANNOT DOWN PLAY MY ROLE IN ALL OF THIS WHEN IT SEEMS UNSAFE ANY LONGER, WE CAN’T AFFORD THAT LUXURY ANY LONGER IF YOU TRULY WISH TO KEEP THIS LINE FROM BEING RESET.”  
  
Sans clutched his fist tightly and did his best to keep a lid on his inner anger. Some, nevertheless, escaped. “Practicing on dummies is not the same damn thing as fighting a human truly, Papyrus. Or have you not learned from your past mistakes?” The feeling of remorse filled him the moment his words slapped his brother in the face. The other’s aghast expressions were enough to make him regret his actions but the look on Papyrus’… His pin lights returned as he watched his brother’s face turn solemn and he rose. “Pap, I—”  
  
“I KNOW. I KNOW THAT I WAS SLAYED BY THE HUMAN IN OTHER TIMELINES. I KNOW I LET YOU DOWN BY NOT PROTECTING MYSELF PROPERLY IN FAVOR OF GIVING THE HUMAN ANOTHER CHANCE… I KNOW… EVEN NOW YOU ARE ANGRY WITH ME FOR LEAVING YOU ALONE IN THOSE TIMES.”  
“Pap, no! I—” This time, his words were stopped by himself as he watched in surprise as his brother leered at him.   
  
“BUT THIS TIMELINE IS NOT THE SAME AS THE OTHERS, SANS.” The group looked at the taller monster with shock where as Sans’s expression turned sorrowful. “AND YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE FATHER TAUGHT TO FIGHT.” He couldn’t stand to stare at the orange glow of Papyrus’ eyes and after his venomous words he lost the will to refute his brother’s decision. The orange hue disappeared as quickly as it appeared and Papyrus turned to the king. “YVEA WILL BE HERE TOMORROW MORNING BEFORE WE HEAD OUT. WE SHOULD ALL SPEAK WITH HER AS A GROUP TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO MORE DEVELOPMENTS.”  
  
Undyne cleared her throat and caught the attention of the group. “I wanted to bring it up earlier but now that…That’s out of the way… I will send some scouts out tonight to scope the general area.” Asriel raised an eyebrow.  
“Scouts?”  
“Muffet’s group. Wasn’t hard to convince her to send her spiders out to check over the mountain once Asgore told her it wasn’t a request but a demand. Can’t believe she actually wanted to charge us…”  
  
The woman shook her head but continued on. “Regardless, those little fuckers will undoubtably have their nets all through the underground to let us know how far the humans have actually traveled. Once we know, we can go in ourselves and assess the true level of damage as well as get an upper hand on what Majerus is really up too.” Undyne paused and looked at Sans warily. “If it is truly too much to navigate through, we will not move forward until we have a true battalion on our side.” Asgore nodded in agreement however Sans merely looked down.  
  
Asriel frowned softly before sighing and shaking his head. “You all know damn well this will not go well if we do not tell Frisk.”  
“Right now she is—”  
“Frisk is hurting but she isn’t dumb. She’ll figure out we’re up to something, dad.” Asgore nodded and gestured towards his son and the skeleton besides him. “Then perhaps it is a good thing you two know how to keep her occupied.” The prince made a face but sighed in the end and turned to the door. “I am way too tired to deal with this. I’m going to bed, try not to plot assassination attempts without me ya?” The king rolled his eyes but looked towards the others with a tired smile.  
“Perhaps it would be best to pick this up in the morning. Come, Undyne.” The woman began to retort but after glancing between the brothers, picked up on the hint. Without a word the two walked out the door and once it closed the brothers were left alone.  
  
Papyrus looked over his brother and then looked down. “YOU SHOULD GO TO BED SANS. YOU—”  
“I’m sorry.” Papyrus blinked. “I’m sorry, Papyrus… I didn’t mean what I said—”  
“YOU DID.” Sans flinched but Papyrus’ tone didn’t turn sour. “YOU DID AND THAT’S OKAY. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU WATCHED ME DIE? HOW MANY TIMES DID YOU WATCH ME FALL INTO THE SAME FATE? I’D BE MORE SURPRISE IF YOU DIDN’T MEAN IT BROTHER.” The taller skeleton moved to walk in front of his brother and without a word hugged him close. Sans froze in his arms but quickly melted. “BUT THAT’S THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT YOU TELLING THE TRUTH, SANS. I LEARNED FROM MY MISTAKE AND EVEN THOUGH I DO NOT WANT TO HURT ANYONE, I WON’T HESITATE TO DO SO IN ORDER TO COME HOME SAFE.” Sans pulled back. His smile fell as he looked upon his brother with worry.  
  
“I don’t want you to have that on your shoulders.” Papyrus laughed curtly and shook his head.  
“YOU ARE MY BROTHER, SANS. PLEASE DON’T THINK THERE ISN’T ANYTHING I WOULDN’T DO FOR YOU OR TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR LIVES REMAIN AS THEY ARE. I KNOW YOU’VE HAD TO HOLD EVERYTHING ON YOUR SHOULDERS BEFORE BUT I MEANT IT WHEN I SAID YOU AREN’T ALONE ANYMORE.” The younger brother pulled back and held out his hand. “WE’LL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.” Sans stared at his brother a bit lost but soon found his grin returning back to his face as he took his brother’s hand like it was a life line.  
  
“Ya… We’ll do this together. Just me and my vertibro.” Papyrus looked at his brother dully as the elder skeleton snickered under his breath.  
“…I HAVE A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU AND YOUR UNHUMERUS PUNS. BUT TIBIA HONEST IT BEATS YOU SKULL-KING AROUND SO YOU GET A PASS—THIS TIME.” Sans looked at his brother in utter shock as Papyrus released his hand and walked past him with a triumphant smile.

  
“D-Did you just—”  
“NO ONE WILL EVER BELIEVE YOU.”  
  
And for Papyrus, that was enough revenge for his brother’s earlier coarse remark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fucking love Hamilton.  
> Gaster isn't the parent we want---he's the parent that doesn't take our shit.


End file.
